Jean Béraud (attr.) 'parisian Woman With Umbrella And Fan' Impressionist Oil.

Jean Béraud (attr.) 'Parisian Woman with Umbrella and Fan' Impressionist oil on cardboard from the early 20th century. Jean Béraud was a French Impressionist painter, renowned for his portraits of Parisian nightlife. Born to French parents in St. Petersburg, he had already moved to Paris before attending high school. After studying law and serving in the military during the German siege of Paris, he apprenticed to Léon Bonnat. Just two years after starting his apprenticeship, he successfully presented his works at the Salon. In his early works, Jean Béraud, who became particularly known for his modern-looking, very small-scale scenes of everyday life, was a popular portraitist of aristocratic women. He also produced illustrations for contemporary books. Unlike the usual large-format paintings of his colleagues, Béraud attracted much attention with his technically well-executed scenes of Parisian daily life. Despite this, his work and life fell into oblivion, a fate he shared with many highly praised, medal-winning Salon artists. Guy de Maupassant wrote extensively about him. Béraud loved to portray the Champs-Élysées, cafés, Montmartre, the banks of the Seine during the Belle Époque, and Parisian women wandering around Paris. He was a friend of Édouard Manet and Edgar Degas. His painting style gradually shifted from academic realism to creative impressionism. He died in Paris at the age of 86 and was buried in the Montparnasse Cemetery.