Constant Troyon was born in Sèvres, near Paris, in 1810. Working as an artist from a very young age, Troyon established himself as a prominent member of the Barbizon School of artists.; he was famous for his landscape and animal paintings.
Biography
Constant Troyon’s parents both worked in the porcelain industry, his father as a porcelain painter and his mother aas a burnisher. At the age of seven, Troyon began to study under his godfather Alfred Riocreux, who was a director of the factory where his parents worked. Troyon proved to be a very diligent pupil, and he became a decorator applying the minute details of porcelain ornamentation.
While he worked in the porcelain factory, Troyon began sending his own works of art as entries to the Salon in Paris. One of his earliest Salon entries in 1833 was a painting of landscape views of Sèvres and Saint-Cloud. When he reached the age of twenty-one, Troyon traveled the country and began to sell his landscapes. Troyon continued this pattern of work, traveling and painting until he ran out of money; then returning to work as a porcelain decorator until he could gather enough money to continue his travels.
Troyon’s travels brought him to the Orne, Loiret and Limousin regions, and between 1836 and 1839 he wandered across Brittany, touring the area of Argenton in the region of Creuse. Troyon continued to submit his landscape paintings at various exhibitions across France, such as the Salon of 1838, where he won a third-class medal; at Amiens in 1839; and at the Salon of 1840, where he also won a medal.
In the early 1840s, Troyon went to Barbizon, a fashionable bourgeois retreat where visitors went to escape the industrial atmosphere of Paris. At Barbizon, Troyon met and studied with Camille Joseph Etienne Roqueplan, and also made the acquaintance of Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, Théodore Rousseau, and Jules Dupré. Troyon continued to exhibit his work, winning a first-class honor for his 1846 Salon submission and a medal in 1848.
1847 was a turning point in Troyon’s career; on a trip to Holland he was greatly influenced by his study of seventeenth century Dutch painters such as Aelbert Cuyp and Paulus Potter, and began to paint detailed portraits of animals. When he returned to France, Troyon’s skill in painting animals made him a renowned “animalier,” and in 1849 his animalier depictions in the Salon brought him the most coveted accolade: the Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur.
In the last years of his life, Troyon spent most of his time in Normandy, the Touraine, and the surrounding areas of Paris. He continued painting landscapes and animals; his works were so in-demand that they were often sold before he even started painting them. He died in 1865 after a stroke, and was buried in the Cimetière de Montmartre in the Montmartre Quarter of Paris.
Constant Troyon’s Artwork
Most well known for his landscapes and especially his landscape paintings, Troyon has been recognized across the world for his distinctive style and close attention to his subjects. His paintings are held in galleries and museums in London and Glasgow, and the Louvre houses his famous “Oxen at Work” and “Returning to the Farm”.
Appraise and Sell Constant Troyon’s Artwork
Constant Troyon’s artwork is in steady demand among collectors. His pieces can easily fetch up to several thousand dollars on the market, depending on the size and subject; his landscapes are especially sought after.
If you have any works by Constant Troyon, especially his landscapes or animal pictures, get in touch with our experts at Revere Auctions. If you would like to sell your Troyon paintings, you can auction them at our location in St. Paul, Minnesota. We also offer our services online.
You can contact us anytime for a free auction estimate if you want to sell Troyon’s work. We have a very simple process. After you send us the photos of the work, our experts will take a look, analyze, and provide you an estimate of the amount the artwork is likely to reach at auction.
If you need an appraisal for Troyon’s work, we provide a certified appraisal report that can be used for estate taxes, donations, and insurance coverage. Our appraisals are compliant with Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice and are accepted by insurance companies, charity agencies, and the IRS.