French, 1813-1894
Charles Jacque was a founding and influential member of the “Men of 1830” (also called l’Ecole francaise du paysage), a loose movement of artists who, spurred on by the Revolution of 1830, sought out new directions in landscape painting. His strong, realstic, yet sensitive depictions of shepherds and their flocks form one of the most cohesive and important bodies of work produced by the movement.
Born in 1813 in Paris, Jacque began his training in etching rather than painting, as an apprentice to a map engraver. In this area, Jacque was unsurpassed among his colleagues in the Barbizon school. After military service, he went to England, where he worked as an engraver for La Charivari. Returning to France after two years abroad, he made his Salon debut in 1833 and regulalry contributed paintings every year until 1870. Winning medals for both etching and painting, he was awarded the Legion d’honneur in 1867.
During the 1840s, he and his friend, Jean-Francois Millet moved to the village of Barbizon where they felt they could more realistically portray nature. Jacque bought a house there and, influenced by Diaz’s technique and Millet’s themes, found his inspiration in hen-houses, pigsties and flocks of sheep at pasture. He was also involved in non-artistic activities, such as land speculation and poultry breeding, about which he wrote a book, Le Poulailler, monographie des poules indigences et exotiques, published in 1848. He left Barbizon in 1854 and continued to paint in the outskirts of Paris until he died on May 7, 1894.
Museums:
Amsterdam, Stedelijk; Baltimore Museum of Art; Boston, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum; Budapest, Museum of Fine Art.; Cincinnati Museum of Fine Art; Edinburgh, National Gallery of Scotland; Glasgow Museum of Art; Kansas City, MO, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art; Milwaukee, Layton Art Gallery; Minneapolis Institute of Arts; Muncie, IN, Ball State University Art Gallery; New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art & Brooklyn Museum; Northampton, MA, Smith College Museum of Art; Oxford, England, Ashmolean Museum, Oxford University; Philadelphia Museum of Art, John G. Johnson Collection; Museum of Quebec; Saint Petersburg, Hermitage Museum; Seattle, Henry Art Gallery; Southampton Art Gallery, England; Williamstown, MA, Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute; Paris, Louvre; The Hague, Netherlands; Reims Musée des Beaux-Arts
French, 1813-1894
Jean-Pierre Chambon has confirmed the authenticity of this work.
Jacque’s early etchings of animals and peasants illustrate an interest in animal husbandry that became the focus of his work in the forest of Fontainebleau. In 1849 Jacque and his friend Jean Francois Millet moved to the village of Barbizon where they felt they could more realistically portray nature. Millet had a great influence on Jacque’s art, and Jacque owned a large collection of Millet’s drawings. Millet tended to emphasize and aggrandize the laborer, the human presence in his landscapes, whereas Jacque focused on animals and their activity.
Born in Paris, Jacque began his training, not in painting, but in etching as an apprentice to a map engraver. In this area, Jacque was unsurpassed among his colleagues in the Barbizon School. After military service, he went to England where he worked as an engraver for La Charivari. Returning to France after two years abroad, he made his Salon debut in 1833 and regularly contributed to the Salon until 1870. Winning medals for both etching and painting, he was awarded the Legion d’honneur in 1867.
A Shepherd and his Flock is typical of the artist’s carefully observed studies of animals grazing in a landscape.
Museums:
Amsterdam, Stedelijk; Baltimore Museum of Art; Boston, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum; Budapest, Museum of Fine Art.; Cincinnati Museum of Fine Art; Edinburgh, National Gallery of Scotland; Glasgow Museum of Art; Kansas City, MO, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art; Milwaukee, Layton Art Gallery; Minneapolis Institute of Arts; Muncie, IN, Ball State University Art Gallery; New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art & Brooklyn Museum; Northampton, MA, Smith College Museum of Art; Oxford, England, Ashmolean Museum, Oxford University; Philadelphia Museum of Art, John G. Johnson Collection; Museum of Quebec; Saint Petersburg, Hermitage Museum; Seattle, Henry Art Gallery; Southampton Art Gallery, England; Williamstown, MA, Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute; Paris, Louvre; The Hague, Netherlands; Reims Musée des Beaux-Arts
