Paul Thomas (1859 - 1940), Samson Turning The Millstone, Circa 1893.

This sketch is likely related to the 1893 Prix de Rome. Although Paul Thomas is not mentioned in the competition that year, the format, the lack of a signature, and the speed with which our sketch was executed probably indicate that the artist participated in the initial stages of the competition, without being selected for the final rounds. Our painting comes from the collection of René Baschet, director of the newspaper L'Illustration, and brother of the painter and teacher at the Académie Julian, Marcel Baschet. The latter was a student of Jules Lefebvre and Gustave Boulanger, as was Paul Thomas, who was studying at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris during the same period. Our artist was close to the Baschet family and married Marie-Madeleine Baschet in 1887. René Baschet owned several paintings by Paul Thomas in his collection. Provenance: - René Baschet Collection, Saint-Raphaël; Galerie Le Chevalet Bleu, Paris. Inscriptions on the reverse: "Paul Thomas" and "Baschet". Original canvas, a seascape sketch on the reverse. Restored tears.