Market Scene On The Quays Of Concarneau By émil Bénédiktoff Hirschfeld - Brittany

It is in the opalescent light enveloping the harbor scene in shadow and mystery that Hirschfeld’s Slavic soul expressed itself with the greatest truth. Like Charles Cottet and the painters of the “black band,” he found his niche in the intimate poetry of chiaroscuro, adding a distinctive and refined touch to Concarneau’s artistic tradition.

Born in Odessa in 1867, the Ukrainian-Russian painter lived in Concarneau for thirty years. As part of the major movement of foreign artists in the late 19th century who came to explore French realist painting, which was deeply influenced by Courbet, the young artist made stops in Munich and then Paris. He arrived in Concarneau in 1891. There he foundroom and board, fellow painters, and the subject matter hesought in the poor yet picturesque maritime setting. With his palette—at times warm and nuanced, at other times monochromatic and dominated by green—he painted numerous tuna boats. Hirschfeld had found his calling. He painted countless moonrises and sunsets over the bay. Having died prematurely at the age of 54, the Slavic artist had, in his own way, captured the mysticism of the Breton soul.