The Shoeshine Boy By Alexis De Broca

Watercolor and gouache on paper, circa 1900, depicting a shoeshine boy in front of an advertising column. The man has a wooden leg, probably a former soldier. A fine work, signed lower right "A de Broca." Alexis Louis de Broca (1868-1948) was a French painter, draftsman, and illustrator active between the late 19th and first half of the 20th centuries. Trained in an academic setting, he exhibited regularly at the Salon des Artistes Français and later at the Salon des Tuileries, following in the artistic tradition of his time. His work is distinguished by its diverse output, encompassing portraits, genre scenes, Orientalist compositions, and numerous works executed in watercolor, pastel, and gouache. Alongside his painting career, he developed a recognized career as an illustrator for the press and advertising.