A Life of Dual Mastery
Alexandre-Auguste Robineau was a French painter and musician who lived from 1747 to 1828. The son of the painter Charles-Jean Robineau, he studied painting alongside his father and pursued music as a composer and violinist under Pierre Gaviniès. His musical education continued in Italy, where he studied at the Conservatorio di Santa Maria di Loreto under Antonio Lolli. During his time in Naples, his success earned him the nickname Lollinelli.
Robineau's life was marked by dramatic events, including an assassination attempt by Algerian corsairs that left him seriously injured and briefly led others to believe he had died. After recovering, he returned to France. He served as the secretary and painter of the King's Menus-Plaisirs from 1785 to 1789 and held a relationship with Louis XVI, who exhibited his work Le Temps qui découvre la Vérité in the royal apartments.
Artistic and Musical Contributions
As an artist, Robineau traveled to England, Holland, Switzerland, and Russia. His notable works include:
- A portrait of Napoleon Bonaparte as a "peace-making warrior."
- Portraits of Marie Antoinette and Marie-Thérèse de France.
- The monumental painting Le Temps qui découvre la Vérité.
In the realm of music, he was a brilliant violinist who performed in the Concert Spirituel. He authored sonatas for violin and bass and violin concertos for large orchestra. While using the name Alexandre for his musical compositions, he used the name Auguste for his paintings.
