François-Gabriel Lépaulle
(1804-1886)

Born in Versailles on 21 January 1804, Guillaume-François-Gabriel was a French painter of the Barbizon school.

A pupil of Regnault, Vernet, and Bertin, he studied history, genre, and landscape painting in turn. At the same time, he entered the School of Fine Arts and first exhibited at the Salon of 1824 with L’invention de la lyre. He subsequently appeared at all the annual exhibitions with a profusion of subjects of all kinds. He also travelled to Spain, Italy, Flanders, Africa and Turkey.

During his journeys he painted numerous picturesque views, scenes both tragic and humorous, and portraits of artists and politicians, although very few of his works had real merit. However, due to his connections in high places, he is well represented in the galleries of Versailles, mostly notably by his 1853 portrait of Napoléon III.  

He died at Ay (Marne) on 28 August 1886.