Augustin Amant Constant Fidele Edouart Paintings

Augustin Amant Constant Fidele Edouart, commonly known as Augustin Edouart, was a French-born artist known for his work in the medium of silhouette. Born on November 10, 1789, in Dunkirk, he initially pursued a military career before becoming an artist. His life and work spanned a period of significant social and political change, including the French Revolution and the rise and fall of Napoleon.

Edouart's transition from soldier to artist occurred after he was captured during the Napoleonic Wars and taken to England as a prisoner of war. During his captivity, he began to experiment with silhouette cutting, a popular form of portraiture at the time which involved creating outlined images of subjects, often in profile, by cutting black paper. After his release, Edouart decided to stay in England, where he established himself as a silhouettist.

He became a highly sought-after silhouette artist, traveling extensively throughout Britain and the United States, capturing the likenesses of many notable figures of the day. His work was known for its remarkable accuracy and detail, and he prided himself on being able to capture not just the profile but the character of his sitters. Edouart used a machine of his own invention to aid in the production of his silhouettes, which allowed him to create duplicates of his work.

In 1839, Edouart suffered a significant setback when a ship carrying a large collection of his duplicate silhouettes sank off the coast of Guernsey. Despite this loss, he continued to work and travel, eventually returning to France. His silhouette albums, containing thousands of his works, are now valuable records of the era's social history and are held in various collections, including those of museums and libraries.

Edouart is remembered not only for his contribution to the art of silhouette but also for his tenacity and adaptability. His work provides a unique window into the 19th century, capturing a diverse cross-section of society, from royalty and aristocrats to the emerging middle class and figures of the literary, scientific, and artistic communities.

Augustin Edouart died on June 14, 1861, leaving behind a legacy of detailed and delicate portraits that remain a testament to his skill and a fascinating record of the period in which he lived and worked.