Jean-Michel Grobon

Jean-Michel Grobon (19 December 1770, in Lyon – 2 September 1853, in Lyon) was a French painter and engraver; primarily of landscapes and genre scenes. He is considered to be a major representative of the Lyon School.

Biography His father, Claude, was originally engaged in passementerie, but later became a Master Chef. His mother, Jeanne Chapard, was the daughter of a sugar cane merchant. He was in poor health as a child. At the age of nine, his parents placed him in the local abbey, where he received his primary education and was employed as an altar server. A difficult student, he often got into fights and spent his time in class drawing. In 1782, he was moved to a similar position in Crémieu, where his behavior improved. Two years later, his father sent him to a drawing school in Lyon, where he studied with .

In 1789, he and a friend went to Paris to register at the Académie royale de peinture et de sculpture. It was then that he created his first paintings. The events of the French Revolution made it impossible to remain there and prevented him from making a planned study trip to Rome. During this time, he supported himself by painting still-lifes and scenes with animals. Shortly, however, he decided to switch to painting landscapes en plein air and moved to La Croix-Rousse, where he lived with the Carthusians. An offer to become a priest was refused.

He was exempt from conscription, but served in the ; a civil organization. He was found and denounced, but fled again, finding refuge in a friend's aviary. He would later say that he created some of his best paintings there, and he was able to send some of them to the Salon in 1796. Prunelle nominated him for the Legion of Honor but, once again, he demurred.

In 1839, suffering from an ulcer, he retired and was replaced by . He also gave up his position on a committee that chose works of art to be acquired by the city. In addition to his considerable savings, he was awarded a life annuity. He continued to take a few private students until his death, at his home, in 1853.