NEUVILLE, neTetr. ALMONSE DE (1836-85). A French military painter and illustrator. He was horn at Saint-Omer (Pas-de-Calais). May 31, 1836. His father, who was wealthy, wished his son to prepare for an official position. but the boy preferred a military life and attended the naval school at ',orient, where he spent much time sketching. To please his family, he studied law for three years. but then determined to become a painter. lle took a studio of his own, studying a short time with Picot. but was more influenced by the art and advice of Delacroix. llis first exhibited picture, "Bat terie Gervais, Malakoff." an episode from the Crimean War, achieved some success. Not being equally successful with later works, as a means of livelihood, De Neuville designed a large num ber of illustrations for periodicals and books. His great success came after the Franco-Prussian war of 1870-71. in which he served as an officer of engineers. He became the most popular paint er of that war. his pictures being greeted with great applause. From a purely artistic point of view they are open to criticism. His colors are often dull. and sometimes ill-chostm. where fore his drawings in blaek and white are con sidered better than his paintings. lie excels in
portraying vividly and vigorously an intensely dramatic incident. and depicts soldiers in the thick of the fight with ztecuracy and sentiment that make the pictures national in spirit.
His early paintings include: "Capture of Naples by Garibaldi" (1860) ; "Chasseurs of the Guard" (1861 ) ; and "Attack in the Streets at Magenta" (1864)—all in the Saint-Oiner Museum; "Chas senrs Crossing the Tchernaia" (1868). Lille Mu seum. Among his later and more fonions pic tures, ninny of which are in the United States. are: "Bivouac Before Le Bourget" (187:21, Dijon Museum; "The Last Cartridge" (1873) : "De fense of Le Bourget" (18791. and "Surprise in Environs of Metz in 1870" (1877). in the W. H. Vanderbilt collection, New York: "The Adieu." John Jacob Astor. New York: "Attack at Dawn." .Tohn G. Philadelphia. Pa.: "The De struetion of the Telegraph Line" (1884). David C. Lyall, New York. In 1881 he. in company with Detaille, painted the celebrated circular panorama. "The Battle of Cliampigny." lie died in Paris. _Slay 20. 1885. Consult De Lostalot. in Ga:.-ette des Brau.r-.Irts, xxiv. (1885).