Eugène Bégarat

Lunch in the shade

The bench in the shade

Harbour Scene II

Signed lower right, 'Dambourgez' for Edouard-Jean Dambourgez (French, 1844-1931) and painted circa 1880. Edouard-Jean Dambourgez first studied under Jules Lefebvre and, later, as an engraver and chromo-lithographer with Gustave Boulanger. Dambourgez commenced exhibiting in 1880 at the Salon des Artistes Français, and, in 1883, was elected a member of the Society. He exhibited frequently and with success at the other major Paris salons including the Salon d'Automne, the Salon des Independants and the Salon des Champs-de-Mars. In 1884, he was commissioned by the Louvre to engrave the illustrations for the catalog to the Thiers Collection, recently bequeathed to the Museum. The recipient of numerous prizes, medals and juried awards, Dambourgez received an honorable distinction in 1888 and an honorable mention in 1891. In 1888, the critic Albert Wolff spotted his canvas 'A Cheese Shop' and recommended its inclusion at the Salon des Artistes Français. In 1891, the city of Paris bought his large canvas, 'The Cream and Cheese Market...

A delightful early 20th-century oil depicting a countryside scene on a late summer's day. Figures in dark clothing make their way up a winding path, whilst verdant trees sway gently ...