Jean-Léon Gérôme

When Jean-Léon Gérôme visited Egypt for the first time, he became enraptured with what he saw and began making the Orientalist paintings for which he is now famous. Gérôme’s oeuvre included a wide number of subjects, including history, Greek mythology, and portraiture—many of which would feature his signature, sumptuous female nudes. He was hailed for his ability to render theatrical narrative scenes with luminous figures; some of his compositions were so successful that he recycled them in various iterations. Gérôme also produced ornate figural sculptures with materials like ivory, metal, precious stones, gold, and silver. Among the most officially honored French artists of his time, Gérôme studied at the École des Beaux-Arts, as well as under Paul Delaroche and Charles Gleyre.