Emile Munier 1889 oil Young Woman by the Well

Munier, Emile (French, 1840-1895), Young Woman by the Well, 1889, oil on canvas,  signed and dated lower center, 40.5 x 27.25 inches (102.3 by 69 cm.), framed 47.25 x 33.75 inches (120.5 by 85.5 cm).

Born into a modest working class family from Paris in 1840, Emile Munier and his two brothers followed into their father's footsteps as upholsterers at the Manufacture Nationale des Gobelins, where they started their artistic training under the tutelage of Abel Lucas. Emile distinguished himself as a particularly gifted artist, exhibiting at the Salon from 1869 onwards. During the 1860s, Munier experienced tremendous challenges and joys. His new wife, Henriette bore him a son, Emile Henri, and died six weeks later. During the same time, his artistic standing rose dramatically after receiving three medals at the Ècole des Beaux-Arts. He also frequented the studio of William Bouguereau and adopted his academic teachings, which are quite apparent in his works executed after the early 1870s.