Chapel Of Saint Barbe Du Faouët, Ernest-victor Hareux - Brittany

Sainte Barbe Chapel of Faouët.
Dimensions without frame 39 x 30.5 cm, with frame 45.5 x 37.5 cm.
Oil on canvas, signed on the back of the frame.
The Sainte Barbe Chapel is located in a very steep spot in the Faouët countryside above the Éllé River, and it has a very special history. At the end of the 15th century, the youngest of the lords of Locmalo, Jean de Toulbodou, left his manor of Guidfoss in Plouray to go hunting. While he was on the lands of Jean de Boutteville, lord of Faouët, he was surprised by a storm of rare violence. The gigantic rocks that surrounded him were struck by lightning. Sections of rock broke away from the vertical wall. Overcome by extreme fear, Jean de Toulbodou saw his end approaching and prayed to Saint Barbara, who was usually invoked for protection from fire and lightning. He promised her that if she saved him, he would build a chapel for her there. The storm suddenly ended, and Jean de Toulbodou's prayers were granted. True to his promise, he began building this chapel on July 6, 1489, in this very cramped space. If you don't know it, we recommend visiting this incredible site where more than five hundred years look down on us.
Ernest-Victor Hareux (1847 - 1909):
Ernest Victor Hareux was born in Paris on May 10, 1847. He trained as a painter very early on and entered the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, where he studied under the direction of masters such as Emile Bin, Léon Bonnat, Charles Busson, Léon Germain Pelouse, notable figures of French academic painting. He debuted at the Paris Salon in 1868, where he exhibited regularly throughout his career. Specializing in landscape and genre painting, Hareux was strongly influenced by the naturalism that emerged at that time. He strived to represent nature in its most immediate truth, with great attention to light, atmospheres and the details of rural daily life. He was also an excellent animal painter. This work was awarded the Prix Rose Bonheur in 1904. In the 1880s, he went to Grenoble, where he joined a circle of artists who formed what would later be called the École Dauphinoise. This group, in the tradition of the Barbizon school, focused on mountain landscapes, particularly those of the Dauphiné, with a realistic and sensitive approach. Hareux became an important figure in this movement, alongside Jean Achard, Théodore Ravanat, and Charles Bertier. He was also close to the École de Crozant in Creuse, another major center of French landscape painting, frequented by Armand Guillaumin, among others. In both cases, he sought to capture the essence of the places, between realistic rigor and the poetry of nature. Hareux was recognized by his peers: he became a member of the Society of French Artists, received an honorable mention at the 1889 Salon and a third-class medal in 1891. He was also knighted in the Legion of Honor in 1906, crowning an esteemed career. He also wrote a treatise on painting, highly appreciated by amateurs and which did much to build his reputation. He died in Grenoble on December 17, 1909, leaving behind a rich body of work, mainly composed of alpine landscapes, rural scenes, and portraits, in a controlled and sincere style. His works can now be seen in several French museums, including the Musée de Grenoble and the Musée de Pau.