Painter, printmaker, and illustrator Celestin-Francois Nanteuil-Lebouef, known as Celestin Nanteuil, was born in 1813 in Rome to French parents, members of French diplomat Joseph Bonaparte's entourage. When he had graduated from formative schooling he entered the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in 1827 to study painting and printmaking under Eustache-Hyacinthe Langlois. He then apprenticed with Dominique Ingres. 

A member of the Romantic movement, his subject matter often included epic and operatic scenes, and was adept at translating the drama of these works into both painted and printed mediums. As such, he was often commissioned by major playhouses and operas to create their advertising, including pamphlets, posters, and programs. He also illustrated several books. In 1848 he was elected Director of the Academies des beaux-arts, and later, the curator of the Musee des beaux-arts in Dijon. 

He died in Bourron-Marlotte, France, in 1873.