The Life and Art of Hippolyte Poterlet
Born in Paris, France, Hippolyte Poterlet was a French painter and printmaker. He began his career as a history painter at a very young age. His artistic training included time in the studio of Louis Hersent, followed by studies under Charlet. Poterlet gained recognition for the quality of his copies of Old Masters. During the autumn of 1818, while copying The Concert in the Dominican Convent at the Louvre, he met Eugène Delacroix. This connection led to a friendship where Poterlet would create reduced-format copies of works such as The Death of Sardanapale.
In 1825, Poterlet traveled to England with Delacroix and other companions, where they copied various paintings, including works by Van Dyck. Later, in 1827, he traveled alone to the Netherlands and Flanders. From Amsterdam, he sent a large and a small Rembrandt to Paris, which Delacroix described as true masterpieces. His travels were driven by a desire to bring back sketches and to develop his skills as a colorist.
Notable Works and Legacy
Poterlet’s artistic output included several notable exhibitions. In 1827, he exhibited a subject from Walter Scott's Peveril of the Peak at the Salon. His most significant achievement came in 1831 at the Paris Salon with the painting The dispute between Trissotin and Vadius. This work was purchased by King Louis-Philippe and is currently held in the Louvre Museum.
Despite his talent, Poterlet’s life was cut short by tuberculosis. After spending eight years in the artistic and literary circles of Paris, he died in his home in Paris. He is sometimes confused with his cousin, Saint-Ange Poterlet, who was also a painter and draftsman.
