Théodule Ribot, born August 8, 1823 in Saint-Nicolas-d'Attez and died September 11, 1891 in Colombes, was a French painter, etcher, and watercolorist, representative of realism. The son of a civil engineer, he began his artistic career after his father's death, training in linear drawing and geometric work before devoting himself to painting. Settling in Paris in 1845, he attended classes under the painter Auguste-Barthélemy Glaize while working as a studio assistant.
After a stay in Algeria supervising construction, he returned to Paris in 1851 and devoted himself to painting while collaborating with industrialists. He received his first distinctions at the Salon of 1861 and received several medals at the Salons of 1864, 1865 and the Universal Exhibition of 1878. In 1871, he settled in Colombes, where he produced the majority of his work. Highly honored by his contemporaries, he received support from artists such as Henri Fantin-Latour, Eugène Boudin and Claude Monet. Named a Knight of the Legion of Honor in 1878 and an Officer in 1887, Ribot was also the father of the painter Germain-Théodore Ribot and uncle of the actress Berthe Legrand.
His work, faithful to realism, illuminates everyday life with a keen sense of observation. His contributions in painting, etching, and watercolor left their mark on his era. Ribot died in Colombes and is buried in the Montparnasse Cemetery in Paris. His legacy lives on in prestigious collections, and his reputation as an independent artist is a testament to his lasting influence on the art world.
