Dividing his time between his home in Courrières and Brittany, he broadened his range of subjects and views – with mounting success.
Breton
This period saw him concentrate on farmworkers toiling in the fields at dusk, and he discovered the coast and people of Brittany.
An independent pioneer of ‘social realism’, his densely-populated landscapes showed real people struggling to live in the north French countryside.
Unique paintings of the ancient history of France, in response to dreadful defeat in the Franco-Prussian War.
He never aspired to be an impressionist, but painted many works plein air, with loose brushwork, and conveying impressions.
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