(January 10, 1806 in Lille – April 27, 1856 in Paris) was a French painter who painted with his foot. He is known primarily for biblical and historical scenes, as well as portraits.
Biography about Louis Joseph César Ducornet:
Ducornet was born to poor parents in Lille on January 10, 1806. He had a birth defect, now known as phocomelia; having neither arms nor thighs, and only four toes to his right foot. He was unable to walk and had to be carried by his father. However, while still a child, he used to pick up pieces of charcoal from the floor with his toes and the rough sketches he thus made evinced so much promise that he received local instruction in art.
With the help of the municipality of Lille, he was sent to Paris, where he studied under Guillaume Guillon-Lethière, François Louis Joseph Watteau and François Gérard, and for a short period of time he received a government pension from King Louis XVIII. Although his disability prevented him from entering the competition for the Prix de Rome, he was awarded several medals at the Salon. He even took an occasional student; notably Auguste Allongé. He painted an eleven feet high depiction of Mary Magdalene at the feet of Jesus after the resurrection that was purchased by the French government.
He was born with phocomelia, a rare congenital condition that results in various abnormalities to the face, limbs, ears, nose and a variety of other underdevelopments. The specific malformations can vary from person to person or Ducornet was born with a phocomelia, a rare congenital condition which causes malformations in the arms and legs.However, he did have four toes on his right foot and, one day, after picking up a piece of charcoal with his toes, he began sketching. Who is Louis Joseph César Ducornet.
French artist Louis Joseph César Ducornet, a renowned painter in the 1800s who was born with no arms or left leg and learned to paint with the four toes on his right foot. He became famous for his intricate portraits,” Google wrote in its blurb to the illustration.The French protégé honed his craft, becoming a skilled illustrator. As a result, and thanks to the local government, he was sent to Paris where he studied under some of the city’s most renowned artists.Who is Louis Joseph César Ducornet
Despite being unable to apply to the Prix de Rome, a prominent French scholarship fund, due to his disability, he was awarded multiple medals at the Salon. This was the official art exhibition of the Académie des Beaux-Arts in Paris and between 1748 and 1890, it was considered the greatest art event in the Western world.
The French prodigy became an accomplished illustrator by honing his craft, which resulted in him being sent to Paris by the local government. Here he trained under some of the most renowned artists in the city. He even received a pension from King Louis XVIII for a short while so he could keep up with his training. Who is Louis Joseph César Ducornet
To this day, Ducornet is known for his biblical and historical scenes, as well as portraits. He died in Paris in 1856 at the age of 50.For a short period, he even received a pension from King Louis XVIII himself to enable him to continue his training.
Whilst his disability prevented him from entering the Prix de Rome, a renowned French scholarship foundation, he earned several medals from the prestigious Salon d’Art.In 1840, he painted an 11-foot-high depiction of Mary Magdalene at the feet of Jesus which was bought by the French government.
He then followed this up with one of his most celebrated works: a self-portrait, showing him painting with his foot. He died in 1856 at the age of 50, but his historical and biblical scenes, as well as his portraits, continue to inspire awe today.
