(b Paris, 19 July 1813 or 7 Nov 1815; d Douarnenez, Finistère, 3 Sept 1875). French painter. The son of the painter François Pils (1785–1867), at the age of 15 he entered the studio of Guillaume Lethière, where he remained until the latter’s death in 1832. He then moved to that of François-Edouard Picot, the two men rapidly becoming friends. On Picot’s recommendation in 1834 Pils was commissioned to restore the paintings in the Galerie Henri II at Fontainebleau. While working there he produced several pictures of the interior of the palace and the surrounding area. He then returned to Paris and to Picot’s studio, intending to compete for the Prix de Rome, but hampered by illness and a stay in hospital he won only the second Grand Prix (1837). However, he fulfilled his ambition in the following year with St Peter Healing a Lame Man at the Gate of the Temple (1838; Paris, Ecole N. Sup. B.-A.). He arrived at the Académie de France in Rome, at that time directed by Ingres, in January 1839. The poor health, particularly tuberculosis, that afflicted him throughout his life again frustrated his plans, and from July to September 1839 he convalesced in Ischia. On his way back to Rome he visited Pompeii and made studies from the antique vases and bronzes there. Despite continued bouts of illness and periods of rest, he managed to study art works in Naples, Florence and Venice but had little success with his own painting, which was poorly received both by his instructors and by Picot.

• Pils, Isidore-Alexandre-Augustin
  • France, §III, 5(iv): Painting & graphic arts, c 1814–c 1914: Realism and modern life
  • groups and movements
    • Paris, §VI, 3(ii): Académie des Beaux-Arts: Teaching of painting and sculpture
  • pupils
    • Boilvin, Emile
      • Boilvin, Emile
    • Brunet-Debaines, Alfred-Louis
      • Brunet-Debaines, Alfred-Louis
    • Buhot, Félix(-Hilaire)
      • Buhot, Félix
    • Clairin, (Jules-)Georges(-Victor)
      • Clairin, Georges
    • Duez, Ernest-Ange
      • Duez, Ernest-Ange
    • Goeneutte, Norbert
      • Goeneutte, Norbert
    • Mednyánszky, László
      • Mednyánszky, László
    • Merson, Luc Olivier
      • Merson, Luc Olivier
    • Piette, Ludovic
      • Piette, Ludovic
    • Rajon, Paul Adolphe
      • Rajon, Paul-Adolphe
    • Renouard, (Charles-)Paul
      • Renouard, Paul
  • works
    • Model, artist’s, §5: 18th century