French painter who is known for his numerous female nudes, one of which is the famous “Chaste Suzanne.” While his creations are primarily done in a sensuous style, he is recognized for a series of female heads executed in an idealized, almost symbolist, style. One of the most successful artists of his time, the vivacious Henner was a regular exhibitor at the Paris Salons and has over 500 paintings and 1000 drawings to his credit.
Born into a peasant family, Henner began his artistic studies at the age of 12 after his brother introduced him to the artist Gutzwiller. He went on to study at Strasbourg and eventually won a scholarship to enter the School of Fine Arts in Paris where he continued his education under the tutelage of Michel Drolling. Always close to his mother, he began traveling back and forth to the Alsace region to visit her when she became ill in 1855, and during the next two years, he made a number of paintings of Alsatian peasant life. After his mother’s death in 1858, he returned to Paris where he won the Prix de Rome, and from 1859-65, he lived in Italy where he was profoundly influenced by the paintings of Correggio and Giorgione.
He died on 7/23/1905, Paris, France, and in 1920, his family established the Musée National Jean-Jacques Henner in Paris, a museum devoted to his works.
Link to Wikipedia biography