Jules Breton : Catalogue raisonné. Peintures

Jules Breton (1827-1906) was an emblematic painter of the 19th century, whose work oscillated between academicism and naturalism. He depicted rural life with realistic precision and a poetic aesthetic, demonstrating a deep sensitivity to the social upheavals of his time. Influenced by the painting of the Barbizon school and the realism of Millet and Courbet, he exalts the dignity of field workers.

This catalogue raisonné of his painted work lists over 780 paintings, the fruit of fifty years' research by Annette Bourrut Lacouture, an art historian and specialist in the artist. Based on unpublished archives, it reveals both the masterpieces of Salon and the preparatory sketches, offering an intimate and comprehensive look at the artist's life and practice.