1813 -1894 · Barbizon school, animal engraving and painting

Inventive engraver and animal painter from Barbizon, Charles Jacque observes sheep, poultry, sheepfolds and rural works with a precision that combines atmosphere, behavior and the material reality of the farm.

Charles-Émile Jacque was born in Paris in 1813. He first trained in engraving and worked as an illustrator, aquafortist and wood engraver. This practice developed in him a keen sense of line, values and textures, then visible in his paintings. After his military service, he traveled notably to England, where he discovered the British graphic tradition and produced illustrations. Back in France, he became interested in rural subjects, peasants and especially domestic animals. In 1849, during the cholera epidemic, Jacque moved to Barbizon with Jean-François Millet. In 1849, during the cholera epidemic, Jacque moved to Barbizon with Jean-François Millet. In 1849, during the cholera epidemic, Jacque moved to Barbizon with Jean-François Millet. centers of the new French landscape. Jacque not only paints trees and paths. He enters farms, observes henhouses, herds, sheepfolds, tools and daily gestures. Sheep are represented in varied positions, with differences in age, wool and behavior. In sheepfold interiors, a ray of light often crosses the darkness and reveals backs, heads, feeders and dust. The brown, almost monochrome palette reinforces the feeling of a low, confined space. Outside, spring, pastures and paths open the composition, but the herd retains its real weight. Jacque plays a major role in the revival of original etching in the 19th century. His prints widely disseminate his animal subjects and contribute to his international reputation. He raised poultry himself and published practical texts, a sign that his interest in animals went beyond the picturesque motif. Painter, engraver, illustrator and observer of agricultural life, he died in Paris in 1894. A faithful reproduction must preserve the values of darkness, the rays of light, the differences in wool and plumage, the arrangement of the herd and the truth modest objects. The "Charles Jacque" selection notably compares Printemps - Charles Jacque and Bergerie - Charles Jacque. His reading favors light.

Jacque looks at the sheepfold as a complete world: light, dust, tools, gestures and animals each have a concrete place rather than a decorative role.