Louis-Théodore Devilly

Louis-Théodore Devilly (28 October 1818, Metz24 December 1886, Nancy) was a French painter who specialized in military and Orientalist scenes; associated with the .

Biography He came from a family of booksellers. His father, Louis-Jean-Baptiste (1792-1826), was a member of the and a prominent Mason. Following his father's death, his mother, Félicité Constance Gentil, took over the bookshop, but he was more attracted to drawing and sketching.

From 1833 to 1835, he attended classes taught by Laurent-Charles Maréchal, the founder of the École de Metz.

He returned to Metz in 1841, but continued to exhibit in Paris; winning a silver medal at the Salon of 1852. He became especially well known for his huge canvases of historical scenes; mostly battles. In 1864, he was named Director of the

Following the Franco-Prussian War, he remained loyal to France and moved away from Metz, which had become part of the German Empire. He settled in Nancy and took over management of the , a post he held until his death in 1886.