The New International Encyclopædia/Delaunay, Jules Elie

DELAUNAY, Jules Elie (1828-91). A French figure and portrait painter, born in Nantes. He was the pupil of Lamothe and Flandrin, and gained the prix de Rome in 1856. His notable decorative paintings are to be found in the foyer of the Opera House, the Hotel de Ville, the Church of the Trinity, and the Panthéon, in Paris. The paintings in the Panthéon, representing scenes from the life of Saint Genevieve, he did not live to complete. Among his best works are: “The Plague at Rome” (1869), a water-color called his masterpiece; “Diana,” a fine nude; and “The Death of the Centaur Nessus”—all in the Luxembourg. He also painted portraits, among which that of his “Mother” and that of “Mademoiselle Toulmouche” are among his best canvases. His work is characterized by great attention to form, firm modeling, and a noble, rather severe style of composition. He was awarded a first-class medal at the Paris Exposition of 1878, and the medal of honor in 1889. In 1878 he became an officer of the Legion of Honor, and the following year was made a member of the Institute.