Student Artwork Guide
Copyright This work is in the public domain. François Flameng died in 1923; copyright lasts 70 years after the artist’s death, so it ended in 1993.
In context
The Attack — François Flameng
Row above: the years. Row below: how old the artist was at the start and at the end of each span — 0 at birth, 67 at death.
Shaded: the lifetime of François Flameng (1856–1923) every dated painting, decade by decade
This record has no exact year on file — using the artist's lifetime and the work's style, what decade would you guess?
Pick one work above: name two things it shares with this one, and one thing that's different.
More works to set beside this one: topimpressionists.com/en/art/similar/francois-flameng-the-attack-9DGUKP-en/
Measured from the image
Main colour
Quinacridone Magenta #7f6744
Catalogued palette
These colours inside the artist’s whole palette Find other paintings by colour
The ten leading countries
Find the three darkest countries on the map. Is the museum that keeps this painting in any of them? Write down one reason people far away might look at it.
Together these works take 99.8% of all the attention this artist's paintings received over the last twelve months. The catalogue holds 87 works by this artist, of which 20 were looked at at least once. This painting ranks 9 of them, with 3.0% of that attention. The same counts, month by month
Bars measure attention, not quality. Pick the work at the top and this one: name one thing that might make a painting famous beyond how well it is painted.
Artist and museum
Born in France
Born: 1856, France.
François Léopold Flameng was the son of Léopold Flameng, a celebrated engraver. This familial connection provided him with an early and thorough education in artistic techniques.
He attended the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-arts, where he studied under Alexandre Cabanel.
From 1870, Flameng began creating reproductions of works by renowned artists for the Durand-Ruel gallery catalogue.
Flameng initially gained recognition for his history paintings and portraiture. His early style was firmly rooted in academic tradition, emphasizing precise draftsmanship and realistic representation.
He exhibited at the Salon for the first time in 1875 with “The Lectern,” marking a significant step in his career.
His work evolved over time to encompass broader themes, including depictions of military life and scenes from contemporary society.
Flameng became a professor at the Academy of Fine Arts, demonstrating his standing within the artistic community.
He received important commissions to decorate prominent civic buildings such as the Sorbonne and the Opéra-Comique.
In 1891, he designed sketches for France’s first four-color bank notes (though the initial 1000 Franc note design wasn't issued until later in a modified form).
He was invited to Russia in 1894 by Tsar Alexander III to paint portraits of members of the Imperial Court.
In 1900, he created a decorative mural of Paris for Le Train Bleu, the restaurant at the Gare de Lyon.
He was granted France’s highest civilian honor, the Légion d'Honneur.
In 1908, he became an honorary commander of the Royal Victorian Order.
Flameng’s work took on a new dimension during World War I. He was named honorary president of the Society of Military Painters and an accredited documenter for the war ministry.
His paintings from this period, while realistic, were initially criticized by some for lacking heroic drama – a testament to his commitment to portraying the realities of war.
Many of these war paintings were later donated to the Musée de l'Armée.
In 1919, he was elected into the National Academy of Design as an honorary corresponding academician.
Flameng married Marguerite Henriette Augusta Turquet in 1881. Their daughter, Marie, married tennis star Max Decugis, whom Flameng also painted.
He was a friend of John Singer Sargent, who painted his portrait, and traveled with Jean-Léon Gérôme and Victor Clairin in Italy.
François Flameng died in 1923, leaving behind a diverse body of work that reflects the artistic and historical currents of his time. His paintings offer valuable insights into French society during the Belle Époque and the realities of World War I.
topimpressionists.com/en/art/download/francois-flameng-the-attack-9DGUKP-en/
Look closely
The Attack — François Flameng
Answer in your own words. There are no wrong answers here — only answers you can explain.
Write a short paragraph about this artwork. Use the facts from the earlier parts of this guide, and your answers above.
In "The Attack", a gentle contrast is paired with a unified palette harmony.
The copyright status of "The Attack" - in the public domain - its copyright has expired - follows from the artist's death in 1923.
Regarding copyright, "The Attack" is in the public domain - its copyright has expired.