The Life and Academic Career of Aimé Morot
Born in Nancy, France, Aimé Morot was a painter and sculptor who began his artistic journey at the age of twelve. His early studies in drawing, painting, and gravure printing took place at the l'Ecole Municipal de Dessin et de Peinture de Nancy. He later attended the workshop of Alexandre Cabanel at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris. Despite leaving the formal academy after receiving two corrections from Cabanel, Morot pursued independent study in the Jardin des Plantes, where he focused on observing and portraying animals. In 1873, he won the Grand Prix de Rome with his work Babylonian Captivity (Super Flumina Babylonis), which is held in the collection of the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. This achievement allowed him to reside at the Villa Medici in Rome.
Artistic Contributions and Subject Matter
Morot’s diverse body of work includes:
In addition to his studio work, Morot was a professor at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts and a member of the Institute. He was awarded the title of Chevalier in the Legion of Honour in 1883, later becoming an Officier in 1901, and eventually a Commandeur in the Légion d'Honneur in 1912.
