Place de la Concorde is a portrait
of Vicomte Lepic, his daughters, and his dogs.
Vicomte Ludovic-Napoléon Lepic (1839-1889) was the son
of one of the Emperor’s adjutants. He chose an artistic career for himself.
Succesively a pupil of Cabanel, Wappers and Verlat, he studied at Gleyre’s
studio with Bazille and Monet,
whom he befriended. He was also a close aquaintance of Degas, and he often
went riding with the painter's brothers. Accompanied by Degas he went to
the opera and they frequented horse races; in the painting Gentlemen’s
Race Before the Start, Lepic is depicted as one of the amateur
jockeys. Lepic worked in Paris, in Berck and at the seaside. Degas persuaded
him to exhibit at the 1st Impressionist exhibition in 1874, where Lepic
showed 4 watercolors. At the 2nd Impressionist Exhibition at Durand-Ruel’s
Gallery in 1876, Lepic demonstrated 36 of his landscapes. Through his private
income and influence he supported his fellow painters, but nevertheless
attempted to exclude Cézanne
from group exhibitions. After being banned by the Impressionists from exhibiting
at the same time in the Salon, Lepic refused to take part in any of their
exhibitions. He achieved surprising effects through new graphic techniques.
In 1872, Lepic founded the Musée d’Aix-les-Bains and became its
first curator. In 1879, he had an individual exhibition at the Gallery
“La vie moderne”. Lepic traveled to Egypt and Pompeii, where he took part
in excavations. In 1883, he exhibited at the Musée des Arts décoratifs.
Viscount Lepic was accepted into the Legion of Honour. Unfortunately his
works are completely forgotten.