This early 20th-century oil painting by French artist Charles Clair (1860-1930) depicts numerous sheep feeding in a stone barn.

Hailing from the picturesque rural area of Mars-sur-Allier, near Nevers, in central France, Clair’s early years were spent on the family farm, and it’s likely that during his childhood, he assisted his father with the daily routines. One can imagine the young man clutching his sketchbook as he studied the various livestock. Tucked alongside the sheepfold to observe movement and form. These early experiences would underpin his love for animal painting, which served him well as his career progressed.

He trained initially at the École des Arts in Nevers, near home, and later at the illustrious École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. It was a classical education whereby the emphasis was placed on life drawing and studying the masters. It’s recorded in Salon catalogues that he also trained under the tutelage of academic painter William-Adolphe Bouguereau (1825-1905).

During his 20s, he produced various landscapes, particularly in the region of Bourges. These were meticulous with acutely rendered details, probably sketched from life and completed in the studio. It appears that he’d connected with a dealer at this point who sold his works at auction, hence the focus on local views.

At the turn of the century, Clair’s emphasis shifted towards animal painting, a genre he’d always excelled at. La Bergerie (the sheepfold) became a popular subject. The sheep, often evocatively lit by a waning sun and rendered with chiaroscuro, adopt humanistic qualities. There’s a sense of family, kinship even, which elevates these scenes to loftier heights. He was at his most productive when his boots were nestled into hay.

In 1913, as recognition of his success, he was elected a member of the Salon des Artistes Français, where his works were shown regularly. He continued working into old age and spent his later years in the suburbs of Paris with his wife and children.

Signed in the lower right and held within a splendid period frame. A similar piece ‘La Bergerie (1918)’ sold in 2010 at auction for 2,600 euros.

Learn more about Charles Clair in our directory.

Medium: Oil on canvas
Overall size: 26” x 22” / 66cm x 56cm
Year of creation: c. 1918
Provenance: Private collection, England.
Condition: Assessed and approved by our conservator. Canvas relined. Later stretcher.
Artist’s auction maximum: £8,010 for ‘Ovelhas’, Oil on Canvas, Bolsa De Arte, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 2001.
Our reference: BRV1824