Elles, les élèves de Jean-Jacques Henner: The Rediscovery of Forgotten Artists
In the heart of Paris, the Musée National Jean-Jacques Henner presents Elles, les élèves de Jean-Jacques Henner, until 28th April, an exhibition that goes beyond mere historical review. For the first time, the trajectory of the women who studied under the great 19th-century master is reconstructed in depth. Names such as Louise Abbéma, Ottilie W. Roederstein, Dorothy Tennant, Marie Petiet, and Madeleine Smith emerge from the shadows to claim their place in art history.
LEFT: Ottilie Roederstein, Madeleine Smith at the Easel (Painting Joan of Arc), circa 1890, oil on canvas. Nogent-sur-Marne, Fondation des Artistes, Smith-Champion bequest, 1944 © Raphaële Kriegel-Fondation des Artistes; RIGHT: Louise Abbema, Portrait of Jeanne Samary (1857-1890), member of the Comédie Française, circa 1879, oil on canvas. Paris, Musée Carnavalet - Histoire de Paris © Paris Musées / Musée Carnavalet - Histoire de Paris;
The Unprecedented Recognitio
Much is said about the great painters of the time, but what do we know about their female students? For decades, the contributions of these women were erased, either due to a lack of records or the structural prejudice that prevented their access to the art world. The exhibition offers an in-depth exploration of their trajectories, their works, and, above all, the barriers they had to overcome to be recognized as artists.
The path was not easy. Until 1897, women were prohibited from enrolling at the École des Beaux-Arts, and their training took place only in private studios. It was in this context that Jean-Jacques Henner, one of the most renowned masters of the time, agreed to teach a select group of women, creating a learning space in a predominantly male environment.
LEFT: Exhibition “Elles, les élèves de Jean-Jacques Henner” – Portrait Gallery. Copyright: Musée Henner / Jean-Yves Lacote; RIGHT: Exhibition “Elles, les élèves de Jean-Jacques Henner” – Portrait Gallery. Copyright: Musée Henner / Jean-Yves Lacote;
Art as Resistance
The exhibition reveals an often-overlooked aspect: the role of female solidarity in the 19th-century art scene. Many of these women, in addition to sharing studios, also shared models, exchanged information about exhibitions, and recommended material suppliers.
Marie Cayron Vasselon, for example, portrayed her companions in her sketchbook, offering an intimate glimpse into the daily lives of these artists. The fact that these sketchbooks, preserved by her descendants, are being publicly exhibited for the first time is a historic event in it self.
LEFT: Charles Auguste Emile Durand, Portrait de Léonie Dufresne, baronne le Vavasseur, puis marquise de Vaucouleurs de Lanjamet, 1875, huile sur toile. Paris, musée Carnavalet-Histoire de Paris©Paris Musées/Musée Carnavalet-Histoire de Paris; RIGHT: Marie Cayron-Vasselon, Mary Magdalene, 1889, oil on canvas. Collection of the Carcenac-Cabrol family, descendants of Marie Vasselon © Jean-François Peiré – Drac Occitanie.
Henner’s Influence and the Emancipation of His Students
Henner taught his students in a unique way, offering them training comparable to that of men. His studio was a rigorous learning environment where women such as Germaine Dawis and Juana Romani could experiment with different techniques and develop their own artistic styles.
The exhibition highlights how some of these artists adopted and adapted the themes dear to the master: nymphs, religious figures, and têtes de fantaisie. For many, it was both a way to pay tribute to him and a means of asserting their own artistic identity.
LEFT: Exhibition “Elles, les élèves de Jean-Jacques Henner” – Portrait Gallery. Copyright: Musée Henner / Jean-Yves Lacote; RIGHT: Exhibition “Elles, les élèves de Jean-Jacques Henner” – Portrait Gallery. Copyright: Musée Henner / Jean-Yves Lacote
The Exhibition Tour
The exhibition is divided into seven sections that guide visitors through the trajectory of these artists:
1. ELLES – The Alsace room explores the historical context and dynamics of the atelier des dames, recreating the environment where the students worked.
2. Jean-Jacques Henner, Master of the Ladies – In the winter garden, a map of Paris displays the major private studios that allowed women artists to train.
3. Copy or Tribute? – In the Italia room, the exhibition examines how the students interpreted and adapted Henner's themes and techniques.
4. The Vocation of Portraiture – The salon rouge presents portraits of women and men painted by the students and their masters.
5. Friendship and Solidarity – An exploration of the bonds between the students and their support networks to overcome challenges in the art world.
6. Variations on Mary Magdalene – The gray room showcases works inspired by the biblical figure, including paintings by Marie Petiet and Marie Cayron-Vasselon.
7. And After the Atelier? – The exhibition concludes in the drawing room, revealing the fates of the students after the closure of the atelier des dames and their fight for recognition.
LEFT: Juana Romani, Primavera, 1894, oil on wood. Paris, Centre National des Arts Plastiques, on deposit at the Musée Roybet-Fould in Courbevoie © Public Domain / CNAP: Yves Chenot; RIGHT: Juana Romani, Desdemona, 1903, oil on wood. Courbevoie, Musée Roybet-Fould © Ville de Courbevoie
The Silenced Legacy and Its Rediscovery
The final section of the exhibition explores what happened to these artists after the closure of the atelier des dames. Some continued their artistic careers and exhibited in major salons, such as the Salon Officiel, while others saw their paths interrupted by marriage and the societal expectations of the time. Many became teachers, perpetuating the cycle of women educating future generations of female artists.
Today, interest in the work of these painters is growing, with museums bringing their works out of storage and researchers uncovering their legacies. Elles, les élèves de Jean-Jacques Henner is an essential exhibition for rediscovering not only the art of these women but also their resilience in a world that sought to erase them.
LEFT: Louise Abbema, Self-Portrait, second half of the 19th century, oil on canvas, Étampes, Musée Intercommunal © Musée Intercommunal d’Étampes; RIGHT: Ferdinand Roybet, Portrait of Juana Romani, circa 1890, oil on canvas, Courbevoie, Musée Roybet-Fould © Ville de Courbevoie
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