hébert was born in grenoble, son of a notary in grenoble, and moved in 1835 to paris to study law. he simultaneously took art lessons in the workshops of the sculptor david d'angers (1788–1856), and also of the history painter paul delaroche (1797–1896), but even if he took art lessons he was mostly a selftaught artist. at the age of 22 years he achieved success with his painting "le cup en prison" in the paris salon. the académie des beaux-arts awarded him the prix de rome in 1839 for the biblical composition "joseph's cup in benjamin's sack". the prize was a scholarship and a long study stay in the villa medici in rome.