The Pink Dress, painted by Frédéric Bazille in 1864, features his cousin Thérèse des Hours viewed from behind as she gazes across a sunlit landscape. This composition exemplifies the artist's focus on placing figures within plein air settings, a hallmark of his contribution to the development of Impressionism during the middle of the nineteenth century.
Early Life and Education
Born in 1841 in Montpellier, France, Frédéric Bazille belonged to a prosperous Protestant family involved in the wine trade. Raised at the Le Domaine de Méric estate in Castelnau-le-Lez, he developed an interest in painting after viewing works by Eugène Delacroix. His family allowed him to pursue art on the condition that he also studied medicine. He began medical studies in 1859 and relocated to Paris in 1862 to continue his training.
Twenty questions, eight minutes on the clock, and a percentile measured against everyone who has taken it. No sign-up.
Take the IQ test →Transition to Full-Time Painting
In Paris, Bazille joined the studio of Charles Gleyre and befriended Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Alfred Sisley, Claude Monet, and Édouard Manet. Following a failed medical exam in 1864, he abandoned medicine for a career in painting. Leveraging his family's wealth, he supported his peers by providing them with workspace and materials. His early output included significant pieces such as Studio on Rue Furstenberg and the 1867-1868 work Réunion de famille.
Military Service and Death
Upon the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War in July 1870, Bazille enlisted in a Zouave regiment. On November 28, 1870, during the Battle of Beaune-la-Rolande, he took command of his unit after his officer was incapacitated. He led an assault against German positions and was killed on the battlefield at the age of twenty-eight. His father recovered his body, and he was subsequently buried in the Protestant cemetery in Montpellier.
Fast facts
- Born: 1841, Montpellier
- Died: 1870, Beaune-la-Rolande
- Movement: Impressionism, Barbizon school, French Realism
- Notable Works: The Pink Dress, Réunion de famille, View of the Village
- Primary Locations: Paris, Fontainebleau, Honfleur
- Burial Site: Protestant cemetery in Montpellier
- Citizenship: France
Questions readers ask
Why did Bazille study medicine?
His family consented to his artistic training only on the condition that he also concurrently studied medicine.
How did he die?
He died in combat at the Battle of Beaune-la-Rolande in 1870 while leading an assault against German forces.
Achievements
- Notable work: View of the Village
- Notable work: The Pink Dress
- Notable work: Réunion de famille
- Notable work: Bazille's Studio
- Movement: Impressionism and Barbizon school
