FLANDRIN, flits'drilse. A family of French painters. HIPPOLYTE (1809-64) was the leading member of the family, and one of the greatest religious decorators of the nineteenth century. He was the second son of a miniature painter, and was horn in Lyons. He was taught by his father, and in the art schools of Lyons. In 1829 he went to Paris on foot, with his brother Paul, and entered the atelier of Ingres and the Ecole des Beaux-Arts. During all their student days the brothers lived in distress and poverty. In 1831 Hippolyte entered for the first time the competition for the Prix de Rome, and was ad mitted to the preliminary trial, but not to the final one. The next year (1832) he was success ful, and won the first Prix de Rome with the subject "The Recognition of Theseus by His Father." Some of the pictures painted at this time are among Flandrin's most interesting compositions. The picture of "Dante and Ver gil" won a gold medal in the Salon of 1836. Soon after he settled in Rome, Flandrin devoted himself definitely to religious painting. In 1839 he returned to Paris. In 1840 he received a commission for the decoration of the Chapel of Saint John in the Church of Saint Severin in Paris. The success of this work brought the very important commission for the decoration of the famous old Church of Saint-Germsin-des-Prils in Paris, which had been recently restored. lie painted two compositions on the walls of the church. In 1846 he was further commissioned
to paint the choir of this church. Flandrin dec orated also the new Church of Saint Paul in Nimes. which had been built by the architect Quesnel. This work was followed by the decora tion of the three apses of the church of the Abbey of Ainay in Lyons.
In 1848 he received the commission for his most important work, the decoration of the great Church of Saint Vincent de Paul, built by the architect Ilittorff in Paris. The work was at first offered to Ingres, and afterwards to Paul Delaroebe. Refused by both, the commission was finally given to Flandrin. The long frieze be tween the two superimposed arches. representing a precession of saints, is his chief work, and one of the finest things in modern figure decoration. At the time of his death Flandrin had projected decorations for the Cathedral of Straw:burg. and for the Church of Saint-Augustin in Paris. lie painted about fifty or sixty portraits and a small number of easel pictures. Among his portraits were those of Napoleon III., Prince Jerome Na poleon, Duchatel, Maison, and N. Say. He was made officer of the Legion of Donor and member of the Academy in 1853, and protessor of painting in the Academy in 1857. He died in Rome, March 21, 1864. Ilis correspondence was published after his death by Delaborde, under the title, Lettres et pensecs Flandrin (Paris, 1865).