France Naturalism
Jacques Barraband was a French zoological and botanical illustrator, renowned for his lifelike renderings of tropical birds. His pictures were based on mounted specimens and his illustration was considered the most accurate ones made during the early 1800s.
Maria Konstantinovna Bashkirtseva (Russian: Мария Константиновна Башки́рцева) was a Russian artist of the second half of the 19th century. She is known as a master of domestic and portrait genres. Most of Bashkirtseva's paintings are in a realistic style.
In her short 25-year life Maria Bashkirtseva managed to gain recognition - her works were regularly exhibited in the Paris salons and received awards. But the artist became widely known after her death through the publication of her diaries. The famous "Diary" by Bashkirtseva immediately became a European bestseller. At the beginning of the XXI century on the basis of the original manuscripts of the author found in the National Library of France the complete 16-volume version of the diary was issued.
Much of the artist's work was lost during World War II. The few surviving masterpieces are now kept in museums in Ukraine, Russia, France and the USA.
Jules Bastien-Lepage was a French painter closely associated with the beginning of naturalism, an artistic style that emerged from the later phase of the Realist movement.
His most famous work is his landscape-style portrait of Joan of Arc which currently resides at the Metropolitan Museum in New York City.
Rosa Bonheur, born Marie-Rosalie Bonheur, was a French artist known best as a painter of animals (animalière). She also made sculpture in a realist style. Her paintings include Ploughing in the Nivernais, first exhibited at the Paris Salon of 1848, and now in the Musée d'Orsay in Paris, and The Horse Fair, which was exhibited at the Salon of 1853 (finished in 1855) and is now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Bonheur was widely considered to be the most famous female painter of the nineteenth century.
Léon Bonnat was a French academic painter renowned for his realistic and expressive portraits. Bonnat's early exposure to art came from his time in Madrid, where he developed a deep admiration for the works of Diego Velázquez, which significantly influenced his style.
Bonnat's artistry flourished in Paris, where his compelling portraits earned him accolades and recognition. He became a prominent figure at the Paris Salon, receiving his first public commission in 1863 and a Medal of Honor in 1869. His works include powerful religious paintings and portraits that captured the essence of his subjects with stark naturalism, distinct from the idealized finish typical of his era.
His teaching career at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts was equally distinguished. Bonnat was revered not just for his painting but also for his mentorship, guiding the next generation of artists, including Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and Henri Matisse. He advocated for the freedom of artistic expression and encouraged his students to study masterworks directly, particularly advocating for trips to Madrid's Prado Museum.
Bonnat also assembled an exceptional collection of art, which he generously donated to the city of Bayonne. This collection included works from masters such as Rembrandt and Michelangelo, ensuring his legacy extended beyond his own creations.
His contributions to art were recognized with high honors, including the Grand Croix of the Legion of Honor. Bonnat's works continue to be celebrated for their technical prowess and emotional depth, residing in prestigious collections such as the Musée du Petit Palais and the Musée Bonnat.
For enthusiasts and collectors, Léon Bonnat’s work offers a glimpse into the soul of the French academic tradition and the evolution of portrait painting. Stay updated on exhibitions and sales featuring Bonnat's timeless art by signing up for our newsletter dedicated to bringing the latest news to art collectors and experts.
Jules Adolphe Breton was a French artist celebrated for his realistic portrayals of peasant life in 19th-century France. His work, deeply influenced by the rural landscapes and traditions of Artois, reflects a bygone era increasingly threatened by industrialization. Notable for capturing the dignity and toil of peasants, Breton's paintings like "The Gleaners" and "The Blessing of the Wheat" earned accolades for their heartfelt depiction of rural customs and their socio-economic undertones, particularly during a period when the rights of the rural poor were heavily debated.
Jules Breton's artistic merit extended beyond painting; he authored several books and volumes of poetry that provide insights into his life and the era's art scene. His notable works such as "The Song of the Lark" and "The End of the Day" are housed in prestigious institutions like the Art Institute of Chicago, demonstrating his posthumous recognition. This piece, in particular, was famously declared a favorite by Eleanor Roosevelt at the 1934 Chicago World's Fair, marking a peak in his acclaim.
For art collectors and experts, Jules Breton's oeuvre offers a poignant glimpse into 19th-century rural France, preserved through his exceptional skill and emotional depth. His works not only depict the daily lives of peasants but also resonate with broader themes of tradition and change, making them significant both historically and artistically.
For updates on exhibitions and sales of Jules Adolphe Breton's works, consider signing up for relevant newsletters. This ensures you remain informed about opportunities to acquire pieces by this distinguished painter.
Jean Désiré Gustave Courbet was a French painter who led the Realism movement in 19th-century French painting. Committed to painting only what he could see, he rejected academic convention and the Romanticism of the previous generation of visual artists. His independence set an example that was important to later artists, such as the Impressionists and the Cubists. Courbet occupies an important place in 19th-century French painting as an innovator and as an artist willing to make bold social statements through his work.
Charles Courtney Curran is an American impressionist painter.
He was educated at the National Academy of Design (New York), then studied at the Académie Julian in Paris.
Curran is known for his romantic depictions of young women in nature, where they are walking, playing sports or just admiring flowers. The artist also painted plein air, experimenting with a variety of artistic styles, including Impressionism, Symbolism, Tonalism and Naturalism.
Aimé-Jules Dalou was a 19th century French sculptor. He went down in history as a supporter of realism in world art. Dalou was famous for creating monumental bronze monuments, most of which are located in Paris.
Aimé-Jules Dalou, brought up by his parents in the spirit of rejection of social injustice, throughout his career expressed in his work sympathy for the working class. The heroes of his works were often ordinary French toilers, and the master himself was a lifelong supporter of the ideas of republican socialism, because of which he was persecuted.
In the career of Dalou's downs were replaced by ups. The sculptor was awarded the French Order of the Legion of Honor in three degrees and at the World Exhibition of 1899 he received the main prize for the monument "Triumph of the Republic. In addition, the artist was one of the founders of the Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts and the first head of the sculpture department in this creative association.
Alphonse Daudet was a French novelist and short-story writer, best remembered for his sentimental tales of provincial life in southern France. Born in Nîmes in 1840, Alphonse Daudet's early life was marked by financial hardship, influencing much of his later work. He moved to Paris with his brother Ernest and quickly immersed himself in the literary world, publishing his first collection of poems, Les Amoureuses, at a young age.
Alphonse Daudet's career flourished with notable works such as Le Petit Chose, Tartarin de Tarascon, and Lettres de Mon Moulin, which highlighted the charm and simplicity of rural life in Provence. His storytelling, often infused with humor and satire, made significant contributions to French literature, capturing the essence of Provencal culture.
Despite his literary success, Alphonse Daudet's personal life was fraught with challenges, including a long-term illness that he bravely depicted in his later works. He passed away in Paris in 1897, leaving behind a legacy celebrated for its profound impact on regionalist literature and its vivid portrayal of French life and culture during the 19th century.
For those interested in the intricate tapestry of French literature and the enchanting allure of Provence, Alphonse Daudet's works offer a gateway to the past, brimming with the richness of its regional heritage and the timeless appeal of its narratives. To delve deeper into Daudet's life and explore his contributions to literature, subscribing to updates on related sales and auction events can be a rewarding pursuit for collectors and enthusiasts alike, ensuring they remain informed about opportunities to engage with his enduring legacy.
François-Alfred Delobbe was a French naturalist painter.
At the age of 16 he entered the École des Beaux-Arts de Paris, first painting mythological, orientalist and genre scenes in an academic style. He then continued his studies in the studio of William-Adolphe Bouguereau, who encouraged him to concentrate on mythological scenes and portrait painting. In 1861, Delobbe made his debut at the Salon des Artistes Français with a portrait of his mother, which received a favorable critical response in the Parisian press. Throughout the 1860s, Delobbe enjoyed continued success at the annual Salon.
In these same years, the government commissioned him to paint frescoes for the town hall in the new 15th arrondissement of Paris. The importance of this large-scale project for the career of Delobbe can not be overestimated, it was with him that the artist began the rise of his career.
In the mature period of creativity, Delobbe's favorite theme became children and young women at work: they embroider lace or sift grain, evoking associations with the artist's favorite Brittany. Delobbe's Breton paintings were highly prized in the Paris salons for many years.
Herbert Chevalier Haseltine was an Italian-born French/American animalier sculptor, most known as an Equestrian sculptor.
He replicated many of his large works in table-top sizes. The author of a number of books on animalier art, Haseltine was well connected in American upper class society and did a three-year project to create a work for heiress Barbara Hutton. This project included two horses heads which were gilded bronze, with precious and semi precious stones. After her death the heads disappeared and resurfaced a few years ago at an auction in New York.
Joris-Karl Huysmans, real name Harles-Georges-Marie Huysmans, was a French writer and poet, the first president of the Goncourt Academy.
Huysmans' father was Dutch, and he always emphasized this fact. At the age of 20, the aspiring writer began working as an official in the French Ministry of the Interior, where he served all his life.
Huysmans received the greatest fame thanks to the novel À rebours ("Against Nature"). The main appeal of this writer's work lies in its autobiographical content. And his style is characterized by a wide vocabulary of the French language, a wealth of detailed and sensual descriptions, as well as sharp satirical wit. The novels are also notable for their encyclopedic documentation, ranging from a catalog of decadent Latin authors in À rebours to a discussion of the symbolism of Christian architecture in La Cathédrale.
In his work, Huysmans expresses a distaste for modern life and a deep pessimism, but in his writings one can trace the stages of intellectual life in late nineteenth-century France. Joris-Karl Huysmans was one of the earliest proponents of Impressionism. He was also a renowned literary critic and one of the founders and first president of the Goncourt Academy.
Mela Muter, real name Maria Melania Mutermilch, was a Polish-born Jewish artist who spent most of her life in France.
At the age of 25, in 1901, she moved to Paris with her husband and became known as a modernist painter. Her work was influenced by Paul Cézanne, Paul Gauguin and Vincent van Gogh. Muter painted mainly portraits, landscapes and still lifes.
Édouard Pail was a French landscape and animal painter; primarily of sheep.
His canvases were primarily landscapes of the areas around Nivernais, in the style of the École de Crozant, with which he was associated. He was a great enthusiast for painting en plein aire. many of his colors give an impression of mistiness.
His works may be seen at the Musée des beaux-arts de Brest, Musée d'art et d'histoire Romain-Rolland, Musée d'art Roger-Quilliot and the Musée Hyacinthe-Rigaud.
Maurice Prost, full name Maurice Gaston Élie Joseph Prost, French painter and animal sculptor.
He was full professor of drawing at the Paris Chamber of Commerce, where he taught for 22 years. Chevalier of the Legion of Honour in 1933, he became an Officer of the Legion of Honour in the Arts in 1957.
Léon Richet was a French landscape painter. He was born in Solesmes, Nord. He studied art in Valenciennes and became a high school teacher there in 1879. He became associated with the Barbizon school and did several paintings with Narcisse Virgilio Díaz.
August Friedrich Albrecht Schenck was a German and French painter of the second half of the 19th century. He is known as a landscape painter and animalist.
August Schenck created paintings that convey the harmony of nature and man. He became especially famous for his works depicting animals, becoming a sought-after animalist with worldwide recognition. His works are kept in museums in France, Germany, as well as the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the National Gallery of Queen Victoria in Melbourne.
