Leblanc
Stewart

While Stewart Leblanc showed seven works at the 1899 Salon, it was Nymphes Chasseresses that was singled out for review, a testament to its remarkable quality and stunning beauty. Julius LeBlanc Stewart was born in Philadelphia in 1855 but moved to Paris at the age of ten and remained there for the majority of his life. At 18, he began studying under Jean-Léon Gérôme, the French academic painter, and emerged as one of his favorite pupils. Like his contemporary John Singer Sargent, he followed the juste milieu and portrayed the lifestyles of the newly emerging upper-middle class in France in the realistic, photographically-inspired style of James Tissot, Giovanni Boldini and others of this "modern" style. In the 1890s, Stewart was at the height of his fame in Europe, and it was then when he produced his greatest works. During this period, he was a popular exhibitor at international exhibitions in the United States and Europe, earning numerous medals and honors. For his help in organizing the American section at the 1894 Antwerp international exhibition, Stewart was awarded the Order of Leopold of Belgium; and for his services and achievements in the French art community, he was named Chevalier of the Legion of Honor in 1895 and Officer in 1901.

Nymphes Chasseresses, 1898

65 x 55 1⁄4 Oil on canvas

Signed and dated lower left by the Artist: ‘J.L. Stewart 1898’