Charles Emile Jacques' path to becoming a painter was neither straightforward nor classical. His predilection for drawing was already apparent at an early age, so that he began training as a lithographer at the age of 17. But he did not find this activity really fulfilling. While others at his age had the opportunity to learn in studios or to attend art schools, Jacques was largely self-taught. His artistic career was hindered not only by a lack of extensive training, but also by the military service he had to do. Wealthier families were able to buy their sons out of military service. However, the Jacque family did not have this possibility. So Charles Emile had to commit himself for seven years. During this time he made many sketches of army life and sold smaller drawings.
Jacque drew inspiration and experience from his time in the military for numerous illustrations and caricatures, which he produced for various Parisian magazines. During the course of his career, Jacque gave up book illustration and from the mid-1840s concentrated on producing original etchings, inspired by the Dutch masters, especially Rembrandt, which became part of the contribution to the revival of Dutch art. Jacque was one of the first artists to revive the art of etching and was credited with some significant technical innovations. He made a name for himself in this field long before his career as a painter began. By 1848 he had completed almost 350 etchings and by the time of his death there were over 500. His development as a painter finally followed from 1849 onwards and was accompanied by a rather unfortunate event. The outbreak of cholera caused Jacque and his family to flee Paris. His friend Jean-Francois Millet also accompanied him. Together they settled in Barbizon. A region that seemed to be spared from cholera at the time.
Jacque became a member of the Barbizon school with Millet . For at that time the place became a refuge for many artists. The rural, rustic life in Barbizon inspired Jacque to many landscape and animal paintings. Shepherds and their sheep were a particularly popular theme in his paintings. But he also painted many other farm animals. Jacque's paintings differed from those of other artists from Barbizon. People were rather neglected in his works. He preferred to concentrate on the depiction of animals, which were characterized by a remarkable attention to detail. From around 1867 Jacque was increasingly recognised as an artist throughout Europe and America. He wanted to devote himself more to painting and gave the sale of his works to dealers. The demand was so great that his paintings hardly ever made it to exhibitions, but were sold immediately after completion. Jacque survived many of his colleagues from the Barbizon school and became one of the last representatives of this movement. His sons Émile and Frédéric Jacque followed in his footsteps and also became etchers and landscape painters.
Charles Emile Jacques' path to becoming a painter was neither straightforward nor classical. His predilection for drawing was already apparent at an early age, so that he began training as a lithographer at the age of 17. But he did not find this activity really fulfilling. While others at his age had the opportunity to learn in studios or to attend art schools, Jacques was largely self-taught. His artistic career was hindered not only by a lack of extensive training, but also by the military service he had to do. Wealthier families were able to buy their sons out of military service. However, the Jacque family did not have this possibility. So Charles Emile had to commit himself for seven years. During this time he made many sketches of army life and sold smaller drawings.
Jacque drew inspiration and experience from his time in the military for numerous illustrations and caricatures, which he produced for various Parisian magazines. During the course of his career, Jacque gave up book illustration and from the mid-1840s concentrated on producing original etchings, inspired by the Dutch masters, especially Rembrandt, which became part of the contribution to the revival of Dutch art. Jacque was one of the first artists to revive the art of etching and was credited with some significant technical innovations. He made a name for himself in this field long before his career as a painter began. By 1848 he had completed almost 350 etchings and by the time of his death there were over 500. His development as a painter finally followed from 1849 onwards and was accompanied by a rather unfortunate event. The outbreak of cholera caused Jacque and his family to flee Paris. His friend Jean-Francois Millet also accompanied him. Together they settled in Barbizon. A region that seemed to be spared from cholera at the time.
Jacque became a member of the Barbizon school with Millet . For at that time the place became a refuge for many artists. The rural, rustic life in Barbizon inspired Jacque to many landscape and animal paintings. Shepherds and their sheep were a particularly popular theme in his paintings. But he also painted many other farm animals. Jacque's paintings differed from those of other artists from Barbizon. People were rather neglected in his works. He preferred to concentrate on the depiction of animals, which were characterized by a remarkable attention to detail. From around 1867 Jacque was increasingly recognised as an artist throughout Europe and America. He wanted to devote himself more to painting and gave the sale of his works to dealers. The demand was so great that his paintings hardly ever made it to exhibitions, but were sold immediately after completion. Jacque survived many of his colleagues from the Barbizon school and became one of the last representatives of this movement. His sons Émile and Frédéric Jacque followed in his footsteps and also became etchers and landscape painters.
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