Paul Claude-Michel Carpentier

Paul Claude-Michel Carpentier (27 November 1787 in Rouen – 10 May 1877 in Paris) was a French portrait, genre, history painter and author. He studied with Jean-Jacques Lebarbier (1738–1826) and briefly with Jacques-Louis David (1748–1825). Until 1824 he exhibited at the Salons under his family name LeCarpentier, but after 1824 shortened his last name to Carpentier.^[1]

In 1825 Carpentier earned a silver and bronze medal respectively at salons in Douai and Lille for his painting A Painter in His Studio Giving Advice to his Young Student. Then he exhibited at the Paris Salons from 1827-1839.

Encaustic painting

Carpentier often made his paintings using the encaustic painting method, an ancient process that uses melted wax as a binder for pigment. Because of this interest, in 1875 he wrote the monograph Note Sur à la Peinture la Cire Cautérisée ou Procéde Encaustique^[2] which addresses all aspects of the process from softening the wax, mixing the colors with wax, the proper preparation of canvas, walls, stone, and panels, whether wood or zinc. Then follows with how to create a matte or glossy finish and concludes with examples of antique encaustic works at the Louvre that testify to the method’s durability. The article includes images of the tools to melt wax as well as a recommended plan and layout for one’s paint box. Today the monograph remains a valuable resource for painting conservators.

Notice sur Daguerre

Carpentier was a friend of