Léopold-Louis Robert (Swiss, 1794-1835)

While studying under the engraver Girardet, Louis Léopold Robert often frequented the studio of David and eventually decided to become a painter. After travelling to Italy he developed sensibilities for the life and people of the South and went on to make these the central themes of his work. He achieved great success in the Salon of 1827 with his Return from the Fête of the Madonna dell'Arco (now in the Louvre). This was supposed to be one in a series of four, but Robert committed suicide before his easel on March 20 1835, on the tenth anniversary of the suicide of his brother.