Jean Louis Ernest Meissonier (1815-1891) - An Abbé - WA1962.4.1 - Ashmolean Museum

was a French Classicist painter and sculptor famous for his depictions of Napoleon, his armies, and military themes. He documented sieges and manoeuvres and was the teacher of Édouard Detaille. Meissonier enjoyed great success in his lifetime and was acclaimed both for his mastery of fine detail and assiduous craftsmanship. The English art critic John Ruskin examined his work at length under a magnifying glass, "marvelling at Meissonier's manual dexterity and eye for fascinating minutiae".