Collection: James Tissot

James Tissot (born Jacques Joseph Tissot, 1836–1902) was a French painter, illustrator, and engraver. Born in Nantes, he initially trained in Paris, incorporating elements of realism, early Impressionism, and academic art into his work. Following the Franco-Prussian War and the Paris Commune, he relocated to London in 1871, where he continued his artistic career.

Tissot specialized in genre paintings depicting contemporary European high society, particularly focusing on women's fashion during the Belle Époque and Victorian England. His oeuvre also included medieval, biblical, and Japoniste themes. During his time in London, he formed a close relationship with Kathleen Newton, who served as his companion and muse. He also worked as a caricaturist for Vanity Fair under the pseudonym Coïdé.

Tissot maintained connections with the Impressionist movement throughout his career, notably with artists such as James Abbott Whistler and Edgar Degas. In his later years, he increasingly focused on religious subjects, producing extensive series illustrating biblical narratives, such as his Life of Christ. He received the French Legion of Honor in 1894.