Like all institutions with of a certain prestige from the past, the École owns a collection of paintings of all its directors since the 18th century, with two exceptions, those of the 14th, Philippe Lagrange (1886-1889), and 19th directors, Auguste Kleine (1906-1920).
Interrupted after the 23rd director, André Brunot (1958-1967), since the 2000s this tradition has resumed in the form of black and white photographs.
The provenance of these paintings is varied: some are the result of gifts or bequests, such as the portrait of Jean-Rodolphe Perronet, by Louis Michel Van Loo (1764), or another of Camille Onfroy de Bréville, by Édouard Dubufe (2nd half of the 19th century). Most of them are commissions from the Direction of the School from recognized painters. Jules Lefebvre in particular, Grand Prix de Rome 1861 and a member of the Institute, produced a small number of portraits between 1874 and 1901. Others are "family works", such as the portrait of Chaumont de la Millière, painted by his daughter, Angélique Josephine Louise Héron de Villefosse (1781) or that of Louis Bruyère, painted by his wife, née Élise Le Barbier (ca 1809-1815). The last portrait, that of André Brunot, is a work by Nina Vidrovitch, professor of drawing at the École in the 1960s and daughter of the corps' engineer, Rémy Vidrovitch.
Formerly exhibited in the salons or staircases of the École in Paris, these paintings are now kept in reserve for their protection and conservation. However, they are regularly loaned for exhibitions.
Sophie Émile Philippe Avril (1797-1872) 7th director 1855-1867 IPC 1821. Anonymous, [2nd half of the XIXe century] | André Brunot (1903-1996) 23rd director 1958-1967 IPC 1928. By Nina Vidrovitch, 1975 | Louis Bruyère (1758-1831). IPC 1786 Interim inspector 1810 By Elise Bruyère born Le Barbier, ca 1809-1815 | |
Alexandre François Cavenne (1773-1856) 6th director 1842-1855 IPC 1796. Anonymous, [2nd half of the XIXe century] | Antoine L. Chaumont de la Millière (1746-1803) "Intendant des Finances chargé du détail des ponts et chaussées" 1781-1791 By A. Héron de Villefosse, 1781 | Antoine Chezy (1718-1798) 3rd director 1797-1798 IPC 1751. Anonymous, ca 1840 |
Léon Chrétien-Lalanne (1811-1892) 11th director 1877-1881 IPC 1834. By Jules Lefebvre, 1882 | Louis Jean Baptiste Gay (1834-1900) 16th director 1893-1899 IPC 1858. Anonymous, beginning of the 20th century?] | Louis Grelot (1888-1970) 22nd director 1941-1958 IPC 1914. By P. Jérôme, [mid-20th century] | |
Paul Guillemain (1823-1907) 15th director 1889-1893 IPC 1847. By Jules Lefebvre, 1893 | Auguste Guinard (1836-1916) 18th director1901-1905 IPC 1860. By Eugène Loup, 1905 | Jean Hupeau (fin 17ème-1763). IPC 1731. 1st engineer of "Ponts et Chaussées" 1754-1763 Resumed portrait, by Jean-Baptiste Piauger, May 1759 |
Charles Marie Auguste Jégou d’Herbeline (1807-1880) 10th director 1873-1877 IPC 1830. By Jules Lefebvre, 1879 | Jacques Élie Lamblardie (1747-1797). 2nd director1794-1797. IPC 1772. Anonymous, ca 1840 | Toussaint Le Grain (1860-1935) 20th director 1920-1930 IPC 1885. Anonymous, [1st half of the 20th century ?] | |
Camille Onfroy de Bréville (1799-1889). 8th director 1867-1869 IPC 1824. Anonymous, [1870s] | Jean Rodolphe Perronet (1708-1794) 1st director 1747-1794 1st engineer in France 1763-1794 IPC 1735. By Louis Michel Van Loo, 1764 | Louis Henri Planchat (1816-1896) 13th director 1883-1886 IPC 1840. By Jules Lefebvre, 1886 |
Gaspard Riche de Prony (1755-1839) 4th director 1798-1839 IPC 1780. By Sébastien Cornu, 1840 | Léonce Reynaud (1803-1880) 9th director 1869-1873 IPC 1833. By Jules Lefebvre, 1884 | Théophile Luc Ricour (1831-1915) 17th director 1899-1901 IPC 1853. By Jules Lefebvre and M. Boschet, may 1901 | |
Louis Suquet (1873-1959). IPC 1897. 21st director 1930-1940 By R. Relos de Miremont ?, [1st half of the 20th century] | François Pierre Tarbé de Saint-Hardouin (1813-1885) 12th director 1881-1883 IPC 1837. ByJules Lefebvre, 1883 | Jean Bernard Tarbé de Vauxclairs (1767-1842) 5th director 1839-1842 IPC 1784. BySébastien Cornu, 1843 |
Photographs © Celia Larochelle