[News Figure] Who Is 'Jerome Martin Langlois,' Admired by Madonna?

Painting of 'Diana and Endymion' Lost 100 Years Ago
French Neoclassical Painter Influenced by David

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] The mayor of Amiens, a city in northern France, has drawn attention by requesting American pop star Madonna to lend a 19th-century masterpiece.

According to foreign media including CNN, on the 18th (local time), Brigitte Four?, mayor of Amiens, posted a video letter on her Facebook, saying to Madonna, "The painting by J?r?me-Martin Langlois that you purchased years ago might be the painting that the Louvre lent to the Amiens Museum before World War I and then disappeared." She added, "I am not trying to dispute your legal acquisition of the artwork," and appealed, "I hope you will lend the painting as Amiens is a candidate for the European Capital of Culture in 2028."

Why did Mayor Four? plead with Madonna like this? In 2015, Madonna conducted an interview with a media outlet at her home. At that time, a piece of artwork was hanging behind Madonna, and the magazine published photos and an interview with Madonna using that as the background. By chance, an art appraiser saw Madonna’s article and realized that the painting behind her was not just a decorative piece.

Pop star Madonna. Photo by Yonhap News

According to foreign media reporting this story, the painting is 'Diane et Endymion' by 19th-century Neoclassical artist J?r?me-Martin Langlois, depicting the Roman goddess Diana gazing lovingly at Endymion. It is believed that King Louis XVIII commissioned Langlois, the French government purchased it in 1873, and it was lent from the Louvre Museum to the Amiens Museum.

Langlois (March 11, 1779 ? December 28, 1838) was a French Neoclassical painter. Born in Paris, he was influenced by Jacques-Louis David, a French Neoclassical painter known for works such as 'Napoleon Crossing the Alps.'

Langlois won second place at the 1805 Rome Concours in Italy and first place in 1809, moving to Rome in the 1810s. His paintings can currently be viewed in various museums across France, including the Louvre Museum and the Palace of Versailles.

In particular, 'Diane et Endymion' was exhibited at the Picardy Museum from 1878 but disappeared after World War I. Its whereabouts remained unknown for over 60 years until it appeared at a Sotheby’s auction in New York in 1989, where Madonna won the bid by paying $1.3 million (approximately 1.6 billion KRW), three times the estimated price. From this scene alone, it can be seen that Madonna admired J?r?me-Martin Langlois’s work.

However, some media outlets such as The Guardian point out that it has not been confirmed whether the painting owned by Madonna is authentic, noting that the auctioned piece lacks the date and signature found on the original and is about 3 cm smaller than the original. On the other hand, some speculate that someone may have removed the date and signature to obtain export permission. Mayor Four? is currently actively appealing to Madonna to lend the painting. Additionally, she sent a letter asking for support from President Emmanuel Macron, who is also from Amiens.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.