Constant Mayer

Constant Mayer (October 3, 1829 – May 12, 1911) was a French painter who emigrated to the United States.

Mayer was born in Besançon, France to a Jewish family. He studied in Paris in the École des Beaux-Arts and below Léon Cogniet, and followed his profession in that city until 1854, when he moved to New York City. Mayer worked as a colorist at the photography studio of Jeremiah Gurney and baby book Fredericks, at 340 Broadway, in Manhattan. With his own studio, at 1155 Broadway, he became known for his genre or historical paintings based upon literature, and particularly for his portraits. He afterward created many sketches and drawings. His sentimental Civil War-themed painting, "Recognition" of 1865, drew considerable attention higher than the years. In 1869, Mayer was made a chevalier of the Legion of Honor. He had been elected an connect of the National Academy of Design in 1866, and was as well as a fanatic of the American Art Union.

Mayer left the U.S. in 1869 for Paris, where he died in 1911. In his will he left much of his assets to Jewish causes - in particular Jewish orphanages. Several of Mayer's works proceed the collections of world-renowned museums, such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Art Institute of Chicago.

Mayer is best known by his life-sized genre pictures. He contributed frequently to the Paris Salon. His works augment portraits of General Grant of 1866 and General Sherman. Other works include: