Genre art Naturalism


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.


Theodor Bonenberger is a German painter and cavalry officer. He studied with Jacob Grunenwald and Karl von Geberlin at the Stuttgart Art School, then from April 30, 1887 - at the Royal Academy of Arts in Munich with Johann Kaspar Herterich and Carl von Marr. Has been on study trips to Italy, France, Spain and the UK. After completing his studies, he settled in Munich as a freelance artist. Bonenberger also held the rank of major in the cavalry in reserve. From 1895 he took part in many exhibitions in Munich, Düsseldorf and Vienna. In 1936, he completed a portrait of Adolf Hitler, which he presented to Eva Braun for her birthday. He dealt with flower, genre, portrait, landscape and nude painting.


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.


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.


Paul Dom, born Paulus Ludovicus Carolus Dom, was a Belgian and Dutch painter and illustrator.
He studied at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, lived in Belgium and the Netherlands, was granted Dutch citizenship in 1936 and lived in The Hague for the rest of his life.
Paul Dom was a versatile artist. He dabbled in drawing and painting and painted portraits, cityscapes and sketches, and genre scenes. At the same time he was a political cartoonist and illustrated books. Between 1917 and 1956 Dom illustrated hundreds of books, mostly for children.




Alexander Eckener was a German painter and graphic artist. He received his initial artistic training and inspiration from Jacob Nöbbe, a local artist in Flensburg. With his support, Eckener was able to study at the Academy of Fine Arts, Munich, from 1888 to 1892. After graduating, he returned to his home town and became part of the Ekensund Artists' Colony. In 1899, he went to Stuttgart and was accepted by the State Academy of Fine Arts. There, he was a master student of Leopold Graf von Kalckreuth, who introduced him to the art of etching; another genre in which he became proficient. After 1908, he taught at that Academy himself and was named a Professor in 1912. He took on the position of Professor of lithography and woodcuts in 1925.


Winslow Homer was an American landscape painter and printmaker, renowned for his mastery of marine subjects and considered a preeminent figure in 19th-century American art. Born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1836, Homer was largely self-taught, starting his career as a commercial illustrator before venturing into oil painting and watercolors.
Homer's art evolved significantly over his lifetime. During the American Civil War, he worked as a correspondent, creating sketches that conveyed both the immediacy and the human cost of the war. This experience deeply influenced his later work, particularly his powerful oil paintings depicting war and its aftermath. After the war, Homer's focus shifted towards scenes of nature and rural America, reflecting a national nostalgia for simpler times. His works from this period, such as "The Cotton Pickers" and "Snap the Whip," showcase his ability to capture everyday life with poignant realism and emotional depth.
Later in his career, Homer became renowned for his watercolors and seascapes, such as "Breezing Up (A Fair Wind)" and "The Gulf Stream," which are celebrated for their dynamic composition and vivid portrayal of human interaction with nature. His late seascapes, which often depicted the rugged coastlines of Maine, are particularly noted for their dramatic intensity and hint at modernist abstraction, capturing the formidable power and timeless beauty of the sea.
Homer's works are held in high regard and continue to be featured in major museums and galleries, providing inspiration and insight into the American experience of the 19th century.
For those interested in the works of Winslow Homer and the impact of his art, you can sign up for updates related to new product sales and auction events featuring his work. This will keep you informed on opportunities to engage more deeply with Homer's enduring legacy.


Georgios Jakobides was a Greek painter, representative of the Munich School of Greek painting.
He studied at the Athens School of Art (later the Academy of Fine Arts), then at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich. Jakobides painted mythological scenes, genre paintings and portraits influenced by German academic realism.
His many characteristic paintings of children established Jakobides' reputation as a children's artist. As a perceptive psychologist and keen observer of human nature, he was a consummate draftsman. His painting The Reading Girl (1882), first exhibited in Munich, was admired by critics and the public.
In 1990 Georgios Jakobides returned to his homeland and became the first director of the National Gallery of Greece. In 1904 he was appointed director of the Athens School of Fine Arts, where he taught for 25 years. In addition to these activities, the artist continued to paint portraits, including of prominent Greeks.


Carl Ludwig Jessen is a German painter. He was known for his paintings on the everyday life of peasants in North Friesland. He studied painting at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen under Wilhelm Marstrand.
Carl Ludwig Jessen's work occupies a central place in Danish and North German art history. His paintings depict the traditions and everyday life of the North German community with a distinctly naturalistic precision.


Joseph Malachy Kavanagh was an Irish painter. He is known for his painting landscapes, seascapes, rural scenes in Ireland, France and Belgium and occasional portraits. He particularly was inspired by the landscape in and around Dublin. Kavanagh first exhibited at the Royal Hibernian Academy from 1875. In September 1881 he won the Albert Scholarship. On a trip to Brittany in 1883, he met up with a host of other young artists all of whom were influenced by the plein air naturalism of Jules Bastien-Lepage. In 1890, he published in Dublin a series of prints from etchings he created of landscape scenes from Mont St. Michel, Bruges and of "A Metallurgist" which were acquired by the British Museum in 1902. During the 1890s, he resided in Clontarf and painted numerous views around Howth and its environs, many aspects of Dublin Bay and his famous views on the sands of Portrane, Sutton, Portmarnock, Merrion and the North Bull. Another related group entails views taken along Dublin’s riverbanks.


George Cochran Lambdin was an American Victorian artist, best known for his paintings of flowers.
He was elected to the National Academy of Design in 1868, and was an academician of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.


Lotte Laserstein was a German-Swedish artist and a prominent representative of German realism.
Lotte was a student at the prestigious Berlin Academy of Fine Arts and became an accomplished realist painter, receiving a gold medal from the Academy for her work. Her first exhibition took place in 1930 at a Berlin gallery. Laserstein worked partly in figurative painting, had apprentices, and illustrated anatomy texts to earn money. She also painted portraits of cosmopolitan, emancipated women as well as self-portraits.
The National Socialist regime forced the artist to leave Germany in 1937 and emigrate to Sweden. Her mother died in a concentration camp. Lotte Laserstein lived in Stockholm until the end of her life, creating over five decades of work, in addition to expressive self-portraits, many moving images of other immigrants, rural landscapes and urban scenes in Sweden.
Lotte Laserstein became a member of the Swedish Academy of Fine Arts and earned a reputation as a popular and respected portraitist. She has approximately 10,000 works in her oeuvre.


Karl Luckhardt was a painter, draughtsman and etcher. He trained as a lithographer and studied with Emil Gies at the Städel from 1907. After military service and studies in Munich, he settled in Frankfurt as a freelance artist. In the 1920s he became a popular commissioned painter, known for his depictions of rural life. Although Luckhardt fell out of favour after the Second World War, he regained recognition through public commissions and the support of friends. His detailed and sensitive depictions of landscapes, portraits and still lifes were well received by the public. While his work was popular with the public, it was often criticised by art critics for its typecasting. A retrospective in 1985 drew attention to Luckhardt's forgotten early works, including important oil studies, watercolours, drawings and etchings. His preferred subjects included landscapes, country life, animals, portraits and still lifes, with a focus on Frankfurt and its surroundings.


Adolf Luntz was a German painter, etcher, and lithographer, was known for his landscapes and figurative works. Inspired by his architect father, Viktor Luntz, Adolf joined the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts in 1892. After studying in Vienna until 1897, he became a master student of Gustav Schönleber at the Karlsruhe Academy of Fine Arts. Luntz accompanied Schönleber on various study trips and designed collectible images for the Stollwerck company in Cologne. He settled in Karlsruhe in 1905 and was a member of the German Artists' Association.


Hermann Metz, an esteemed painter and draftsman, played a pivotal role in the renowned Willingshausen Art Colony, fostering close bonds with artists like Carl Bantzer, Heinrich Giebel, and Wilhelm Thielmann. Born on March 21, 1865, in Kassel, Metz embarked on his artistic pursuit early on, attending art academies in Munich and Kassel. Although he initially leaned towards Naturalism, the influence of his fellow artists led him towards embracing Impressionism.
Metz's preferred mediums were oil paintings and drawings, often opting for sketches while outdoors, later transforming them into exquisitely nuanced artworks. His subjects primarily revolved around rural scenes, landscapes, and various places in Hessen, particularly Höchst and Willingshausen.
Notably, Metz's works bear a resemblance to the style of Paul Baum, a prominent German landscape painter. Today, his art gains increasing recognition, and you can find his masterpieces gracing the collections of several museums in Kassel and Marburg, as well as in private hands.
Intriguingly, Metz humorously coined the phrase, "Mit dem Malen versäumt man die beste Zeit" (Painting misses the best moments). His legacy as a distinguished representative of the Willingshausen Art Colony endures, captivating art enthusiasts and collectors alike.


John Everett Millais was an influential British artist and a key figure in the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, celebrated for his detailed and naturalistic paintings. Born in Southampton in 1829, Millais was a child prodigy, gaining admission to the Royal Academy Schools at the remarkable age of eleven. His early work, characterized by meticulous attention to detail and vibrant naturalism, stirred controversy and admiration alike. One of his most renowned pieces, "Ophelia" (1851-52), exemplifies his style during this period, capturing intricate natural scenes with profound emotional depth.
Millais's personal life was as notable as his artistic career, particularly his marriage to Effie Gray, who was previously married to the art critic John Ruskin. This union, following Effie's annulment from Ruskin, produced eight children and intertwined with Millais's evolving artistic journey.
Later in his career, Millais's style transitioned towards a broader approach, a change criticized by some contemporaries but which also garnered him significant acclaim and financial success. His influence extended to various artists, including John Singer Sargent, and his works remain pivotal in the study of Victorian art. His dedication to his craft earned him numerous honors, including a baronetcy, making him the first artist to be bestowed such an honor.
Millais's legacy is preserved in numerous galleries worldwide, with Tate Britain and the Ashmolean Museum housing key works like "The Order of Release" and "The Return of the Dove to the Ark." His contribution to art and culture remains significant, offering a window into the Victorian era's aesthetic and social dynamics.
For enthusiasts and collectors interested in Millais's work, staying updated on exhibitions and sales can provide invaluable insights into his artistry and its enduring appeal. Subscribing to updates on Millais can ensure you remain informed about upcoming events and opportunities related to this seminal artist.


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.


Francesco Peluso was an Italian painter. He is known for his genre paintings and portraits, which were often inspired by everyday life and culture in Naples.
Peluso had a realistic and naturalistic approach to painting. His paintings often depicted scenes of everyday life in Naples, including street vendors, musicians and local festivals. Peluso was particularly adept at conveying the vivid colours and atmosphere of the city, and his works are known for their warm, sunny palette and sense of spontaneity.
In addition to genre paintings, Peluso also produced a number of portraits, many of which were commissioned by members of the Italian nobility. His portraits are noted for their attention to detail and psychological insight into the character and personality of the subject.


John Robertson Reid was a Scottish painter who spent his early working life in Surrey, and then from the early 1880s in Cornwall in the wild south-west of England. He became the president of the Society of British Artists in 1886 and the Society of Sculptors, Painters and Gravers in 1898. These posts gave him an entree into London society, and from the early 1900s he made his home in London. In Reid's later years, the young Sir Winston Churchill used to paint outdoors in the company of Reid.


Philip Lodewijk Jacob Frederik Sadée was an artist who belonged to the Hague School.
Sadée travelled widely, painting in the Pas de Calais and traveling through France, Germany, Belgium, and Italy. Sadée exhibited in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and The Hague in the years 1853-1903, and was elected to the Arte et Amicitiae in Amsterdam. He taught at the Academy in The Hague and numbered Hendrikus M. Horrix (1845-1923) amongst his pupils.


Edmund Schaefer-Osterhold was a German graphic artist, painter and professor at art schools.
From 1897 to 1907, Schaefer-Osterhold trained at the art schools of Stuttgart and Munich and was a pupil of Friedrich von Keller at the Stuttgart Academy of Art and Carl Banzer in Dresden.
His earliest works, with their limited means of expression and delicate tonal colours, are among his most convincing creations from today's perspective. Around 1920 he created a series of eight woodcuts called Stories from the East. After the Second World War, Schäfer-Osterhold turned more to painting, and since then his formal language has focused mainly on religious themes and southern landscapes. In 1958 he designed the altar wall at the Church of the Saviour in Markwartstein.