About
Jules Breton (1827-1906) was a French painter and writer, born in Courrières, Pas-de-Calais. Trained in Ghent, Antwerp, and Paris, he specialized in depicting peasant life, notably scenes of gleaning and wheat blessings. His works, such as 'Les Glaneuses' (1854) and 'Le Rappel des glaneuses' (1859), won medals at the Salon and were acquired by the French state. He was elected to the Académie des Beaux-Arts in 1886 and became a Commander of the Legion of Honour in 1889. He also published poetry and prose, including 'La Vie d'un artiste' (1890).
* 1827-05-01 — † 1906-07-05
Major works
- Les Glaneuses (1854)painting
- La Bénédiction des blés en Artois (1857)painting
- Le Rappel des glaneuses (1859)painting
- The Song of the Lark (1884)painting
- La Vie d'un artiste (1890)autobiography
Key milestones
- 1855Won a third-class medal at the Salon for 'Les Glaneuses'.
- 1886Elected to the Académie des Beaux-Arts of the Institut de France.
- 1889Appointed Commander of the Legion of Honour.
Themes
Peasant lifeGleaningBlessing of the wheatPoetryAutobiography
Sources: royalacademy.org.uk · musee-orsay.fr · gallica.bnf.fr