Thomas Couture

Thomas Couture was a French painter born on December 21, 1815, in Senlis, France, and he died on March 30, 1879, in Villiers-le-Bel, France. He was a prominent figure in the academic art movement of the 19th century, known for his historical and genre paintings. Couture gained significant recognition with his masterpiece "Romans in the Decadence of the Empire" exhibited at the Paris Salon of 1847, which established him as a leading artist of his time. He was also a respected teacher, with notable students including Édouard Manet, who would later become a pivotal figure in the transition to modern art. Despite his initial success, Couture's later years were marked by a decline in popularity as new art movements emerged. His contributions to art education and his influence on future generations of artists remain significant aspects of his legacy.