Jules Gérard (1817-1864), captain and lion hunter
1st image: Soirée; 2nd: engraving (1853); 3rd: by Riault (1855); 4th: by Thierry (1850); 5th: caricature by Eugène Giraud drawn in 1854 at de Nieuwerkerke's soirée.
The Lion Hunt (1854)
At the age of 24, Jules Gérard joined the French Army during its ongoing expansion campaigns in Northern Africa.
Alongside his military duties, he became renowned for his fearless pursuit of lions, earning a formidable reputation as a game hunter.
In 1854, he published an account of his lion-hunting exploits —a book that remains in print today. A year earlier, in June 1853, he had sent the skin of a slain lion to Emperor Napoleon III.
This act likely secured his invitation to recount his experiences at one of de vendredi-soirées in early 1854.
Gérard likely attended de Nieuwerkerke's16 soirée only once. Since Giraud11 produced his caricatures during these events, while Biard36 worked exclusively from his atelier, it appears Biard relied on Giraud’s sketch or an engraving for his painting.
His storytelling may well have inspired Delacroix10 to begin work on La Chasse aux Lions that same year. Gérard ultimately claimed his 25th lion in 1855.
by Giraud
By 1860, Gérard's marksmanship had earned him further recognition. He won a prestigious shooting contest at Vincennes, for which Napoleon III awarded him a unique rifle.
Following his military career, Gérard sought sponsorship from a geographical society in London to finance an expedition to Sierra Leone. Despite its name —meaning Lion Mountains— Sierra Leone was better known for diamonds than for lions.
Tragically, in 1864, Gérard was killed by local tribesmen who had been entrusted with carrying his weaponry.
Note: Verified photographs (images 3 and 4) confirm Gérard’s buttoned coat and properly placed insignia. However, his hairline differs across Biard’s and Giraud’s drawings, as well as the gravure included in his 1853 letter to the emperor —suggesting his hair separation was not always consistent.