Théodule Ribot
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Théodule-Augustin Ribot (August 8, 1823 – September 11, 1891) was a French realist painter. Born in Saint-Nicolas-d'Attez, he studied at the École des Arts et Metiers de Chalons before finding work in Paris as a store decorator. He continued his studies in the studio of Glaize, and made his Salon debut in 1861, receiving medals in 1864 and 1865.
Ribot's work encompasses domestic genre, still-life, portraits, and historical scenes. His preference was for painting directly from nature, emphasizing the contrasts of light and dark. His use of chiaroscuro to suggest psychological states grew from his admiration for Spanish and Dutch baroque masters such as Ribera and Rembrandt, an enthusiasm shared by his contemporaries Courbet and Bonvin. Members of Ribot's family are the likely models for many of his figure compositions, in which the subjects engage in humble activities, such as preparing meals or gathering in groups to read to each other. The light draws attention to faces and hands, which emerge sharply from dimly lit surroundings.
While the realism of Ribot's work aligns him with the most progressive artists of the generation preceding the Impressionists, he was no revolutionary, and his work met with a generally favorable response from the public and from critics.
In 1878 Ribot received the Légion d'honneur. He died in Colombes in 1891.
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