Émile Lévy (29 August 1826 – 1890) was a French painter known for genre scenes and portraiture.
Early life and education
Born in Paris, Lévy entered the École des Beaux‑Arts in 1845, where he studied under François‑Édouard Picot and Alexandre‑Denis Abel de Pujol.
Career
Lévy won the Grand Prix de Rome for painting in 1854, which enabled him to study in Italy before returning to Paris. He exhibited regularly at the Paris Salon, receiving a first‑class medal in 1878. In 1867 he was awarded the Legion of Honor.
Works
Among his notable paintings are:
- Noah Cursing Canaan (1855)
- Supper of the Martyrs (1859)
- Death of Orpheus (1866), held by the Musée du Luxembourg
- Love and Folly (1874)
- Infancy (1885)
- The Elements (exhibited at the Salon of the Ministry of State, later in the Louvre)
- Presentation of the Virgin (Trinity Church, Paris)
He was also commissioned for portrait work, including the 1882 portrait of Jules Barbey d’Aurevilly.
Legacy
Lévy’s paintings exemplify the academic tradition of mid‑19th‑century French art, bridging Romanticism and early Naturalism. His works are represented in several French museum collections and continue to be referenced in studies of the period’s genre and portrait painting.
References
- Wikipedia contributors, “Émile Lévy,” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, accessed April 2026.
- Gilman, D. C.; Peck, H. T.; Colby, F. M., eds. (1905). “Lévy, Emile.” New International Encyclopedia (1st ed.). New York: Dodd, Mead.