“Le Havre harbour”, DURAND-BRAGER Jean-Baptiste (Dol-de-Bretagne 1818- Paris 1879)

Large view of the harbour of Le Havre (Normandy) with the François the 1st tower on the left. Two large three-masted sailing ships sits the harbour. Superb light and typical water impression of the North Sea under a blu slighlty clouded sky. Signed and dated lower right. Oil on panel with gilded original frame.

Size: H 63 cm x W 103 cm – H 81 cm x W 121  cm

French School, dated 1877.

Liter: Painter of seascapes and military subjects, he entered Eugene Isabey’s atelier, after several trips through Europe, the African coast, Senegal and Asia. In 1840, he participated to the expedition to bring Napoleon’s ashes back to France. He published an in-folio with texts and officials pieces regarding the trip. He came back in France in 1843 where he painted ‘The battle between the French and the British marine forces’. The year after, he was asked by the French government to execute two great paintings: ‘The bombing of Mogador’ and ‘ The take-over of the island of Mogador’. After the war of Sebastopol, he was part of the expedition of Kluburn. In 1844, he was honored with the cross of the ‘Legion d’Honneur’ and became an officer of the army in 1865. He painted “the battle of Lisa” for the King of Austria in 1886. In 1869, he executed for Versailles, a painting called “ the second battle between the Japanese army and the allies”. Later on, he even worked for the Russian Emperor representing the ‘The Combat of Singapore’. Works in the following museums: Versailles, marine (Paris), Malmaison, Chateau d’Eu, Palais de l’Elysée, Bordeaux, Laval, Nantes, Torigni-sur-Vire and Victoria & Albert.