Who painted Lepeintre Ainé?

Lepeintre Ainé was painted by Tony Johannot in 1831.

Where can I see Lepeintre Ainé?

Lepeintre Ainé is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Lepeintre Ainé?

Lepeintre Ainé is associated with Romanticism.

Can I buy a print of Lepeintre Ainé?

Museum-quality prints of Lepeintre Ainé are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Lepeintre Ainé

Tony Johannot , 1831

Lepeintre Ainé is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Tony Johannot. It dates from 1831 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

Inscription: Inscribed:upper center above image: L'ARTISTE; lower center below image: LEPEINTRE AINÉ, / dans les Chansons de Béranger, Vaudle. de Mrs. Vanderbruck et Langlé; lower left below image: lith de Deaunois / rôle de Juge de Charenton; lower right below image: T. Johannot / rôle de Paillasse

About this work

Overview

Tony Johannot’s lithograph Lepeintre Ainé, produced in 1831, depicts a theatrical scene rendered in a single sheet of wove paper. The composition features two male figures in a modest interior, their gestures and attire suggesting a moment of dialogue or argument. The work is signed by the artist in the lower corner, and a caption identifies the source as the play Les Chansons de Béranger.

Subject & Meaning

The left figure, clothed in a long black robe and a high white wig, holds a sheet of paper, implying a scholarly or authorial role. Opposite him, a man in a striped coat, black trousers, and a ruffled collar gestures emphatically, as if delivering a point in the drama. The exaggerated facial features lend a caricatural tone, hinting at satire or comic commentary within the theatrical context.

Technique & Style

Executed as a lithograph, the image was drawn directly onto a limestone surface with greasy ink before being transferred to wove paper.

Executed as a lithograph, the image was drawn directly onto a limestone surface with greasy ink before being transferred to wove paper. Johannot’s line work combines precise contouring with loose, expressive strokes, achieving a balance between detailed costume rendering and the fluidity of the figures’ movements. The use of stark contrasts and minimal shading emphasizes the theatrical lighting and the exaggerated expressions.

History & Provenance

Created in the early 1830s, the print aligns with Johannot’s prolific output of theatrical and literary illustrations for Parisian publications. It was likely issued as a promotional or decorative sheet for performances of Les Chansons de Béranger, a popular melodrama of the period. The work has since entered public collections, documented in catalogues of 19th‑century French lithography.

Context

The early nineteenth century saw a surge in illustrated ephemera linked to the burgeoning theatre scene in France. Lithography offered a rapid, reproducible means to disseminate images of actors, costumes, and scenes to a growing audience. Johannot, a leading illustrator of his day, frequently supplied such visual material, bridging the worlds of fine art and popular entertainment.