Guillaume Dubufe painted ceilings that thousands of people walk beneath without raising their eyes, at the Hôtel de Ville and the Comédie-Française. The son and grandson of painters, he mostly painted portraits of high society and died in 1909. His son Vincent, an aviator killed in 1916 at twenty-six, appears beneath him. A curious division: the father is not called a painter there, the son is called an aviator.
The story
Guillaume Dubufe's ceilings are in the Hôtel de Ville of Paris and in the Comédie-Française. The painter's work is above the heads of thousands of visitors who pass without looking up.
Born in Paris on 16 May 1853, he was the son of the painter Édouard Dubufe — the third generation of a dynasty of painters, of which there were many in the academic painting of the nineteenth century, where the studio was handed down like a business. A portraitist to high society, he died on 24 May 1909, eight days after his fifty-sixth birthday.
His son Vincent followed him seven years later: an aviator, died for France on 8 March 1916, at twenty-six.
On Bartholomé's monument the inscription opens with a dedication — “A Guillaume DUBUFE, ses amis” — and closes on the son. A curious division: the painter is not called a painter there, the airman is called an airman.
The grave
A monument by the sculptor Bartholomé, whose inscription opens with a dedication: “A Guillaume DUBUFE, ses amis.” — to Guillaume Dubufe, his friends. There follow his dates to the day — “Marie Guillaume DUBUFE 16 mai 1853 – 24 mai 1909” — then those of his son: “Vincent DUBUFE, Pilote-aviateur, Mort pour la France, 10 juin 1889 – 8 mars 1916.” — pilot, died for France. The painter of the ceilings of the Hôtel de Ville and the Comédie-Française is not called a painter there; his son, for his part, is called an aviator.
On site, do not miss
The inscription begins with a dedication — “A Guillaume DUBUFE, ses amis” — to Guillaume Dubufe, his friends — and ends with his son: “Vincent DUBUFE, Pilote-aviateur, Mort pour la France” — pilot, died for France. The monument is by Bartholomé.
Visitors' questions
Where is Guillaume Dubufe's grave?
In Division 10, chemin du Père-Éternel, first row, beneath a monument by the sculptor Bartholomé. The inscription opens with a dedication: “A Guillaume DUBUFE, ses amis”, from his friends. He died on 24 May 1909, eight days after his birthday.
Albert BartholoméWhat did he paint?
The ceilings of the Hôtel de Ville in Paris and of the Comédie-Française — his work hangs above the heads of thousands of visitors who never look up. He was also a portraitist to high society.
Pierre DervauxWho was Vincent Dubufe?
His son (1889-1916), an airman who died for France at twenty-six, seven years after his father. His name and that citation are on the same stone, with his dates given to the day.
René MouchotteDid he come from a family of painters?
He did: his father was the painter Édouard Dubufe, and the line ran to three generations. It was a common thing in nineteenth-century academic painting, where a studio passed down like a shop.
Paul DuboisAudio guide to Père Lachaise: the best unusual guided tour!
Discover the secrets of the most astonishing tombs
the audio guidefrom€6.99