Born in Austria, Luigi Loir first started training formally in art in 1853 at the Beaux-Arts Academy of Parma and finished his studies in 1865. He made his debut in the Salon of Paris with a view of Villiers-sur-Seine that received very high praise. Subsequently, Loir studied under Jean Amable Amédée Pastelot (1810-1870) to become a mural painter, and one of Loir’s first commissions was to paint the murals and ceilings at the Chateaux du Diable (The Devil’s House) in 1866.
Beyond the murals, Loir’s works vary from oils paintings to watercolours to lithographs. At Hôtel de Ville, Loir had exhibited preparatory sketches of La fête foraine. Luigi enjoyed success and the recognition of his talent throughout his own lifetime. Hence in 1870, he was commissioned into the military to record the battles of Bouret. He died in his beloved city on 9 February, 1916.
