A remarkable painting by Marie Bracquemond, a largely forgotten French Impressionist whose promising artistic career was tragically cut short by her disapproving husband, has been put on display at Liverpool's prestigious Walker Art Gallery. The artwork, titled "La pêche aux écrevisses" (Crayfish Fishing), depicts a serene scene of a woman fishing for crayfish while children play in the background, showcasing the artist's mastery of the Impressionist style.
The painting, estimated to have been created between 1870 and 1880, represents the work of an artist who has been overlooked by art history despite her significant contributions to the Impressionist movement. Kate O'Donoghue, a curator at National Museums Liverpool, emphasized Bracquemond's historical importance, noting that she was "one of only three women who exhibited in the original Impressionist exhibitions." The gallery acquired this precious work with assistance from the Rick Mather David Scrase Foundation.
Marie Bracquemond was born in 1840 and demonstrated exceptional artistic talent from an early age. As a teenager, she began displaying her work at the prestigious Paris Salon, one of the most important art exhibitions in France. Her life took a significant turn when she met her future husband, Félix Bracquemond, a painter and engraver, while working as a copyist at the famous Louvre Museum in Paris.
Bracquemond's artistic style underwent a dramatic transformation when she became influenced by Impressionism, the revolutionary art movement that emerged in France during the second half of the 19th century. This movement, led by legendary artists such as Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, and Pierre-Auguste Renoir, represented a bold departure from traditional academic painting. Impressionist artists embraced vibrant colors, captured the effects of natural light, and depicted scenes from everyday life, rejecting the rigid rules and formal techniques taught in art academies.
Despite her talent and artistic vision, Bracquemond faced significant opposition from an unexpected source. Her husband "strongly disapproved" of her shift to the Impressionist style, according to a gallery spokesperson. This marital conflict had devastating consequences for her career, as the disapproval from her spouse ultimately led to the premature end of what had been a promising artistic journey. Bracquemond managed to exhibit her Impressionist works in three major exhibitions during 1879, 1880, and 1886, but the pressure from her husband eventually forced her to abandon her artistic pursuits.
The art world has begun to recognize Bracquemond's significant contributions to Impressionism in recent years. In 1894, an art critic described her as one of "les trois grandes dames" (the three great ladies) of Impressionism, placing her alongside the renowned Mary Cassatt and Berthe Morisot. This recognition highlights how she was overshadowed and overlooked by her male contemporaries during her lifetime, despite her exceptional talent and unique artistic vision.
The Walker Art Gallery, which now houses Bracquemond's rediscovered masterpiece, boasts an impressive collection of Impressionist works that includes pieces by some of the most celebrated artists in history, such as Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, Henri Matisse, and Paul Cézanne. The addition of Bracquemond's work enriches this collection by representing the often-overlooked female perspective within the Impressionist movement, offering visitors a more complete understanding of this pivotal period in art history.
