André Brouillet

The son of a sculptor, he initially studied engineering before entering the École des Beaux-Arts in 1879. He studied under masters Jean-Léon Gérôme and Jean-Paul Laurens, mastering academic painting techniques.¹

He deeply loved his adopted daughter Yvonne and featured her in no less than 14 paintings. She later became an opera singer, illustrating how closely his personal life and art were intertwined.¹

He visited Greece in 1901 and 1903, painting Renan on the Acropolis and a portrait of Queen Olga of Greece. These state commissions solidified his reputation as a prominent portraitist.¹

In 1904, the magazine Fémina hailed him as the 'painter of women.' He was praised for combining elegance with academic precision in his portraits, reflecting the tastes of the era.¹

In 1906, he was made an Officer of the Legion of Honour and won a gold medal at the Salon for his historical composition for the Sorbonne, establishing himself as a heavyweight in French art.¹

In 1914, during WWI, he died suddenly after falling ill while rescuing Belgian refugees on an icy road. This humanitarian end is remembered as a symbol of his sincere character.¹