Frédéric Bazille was a prominent French Impressionist painter whose career spanned only five years before his untimely death at the age of 28. Bazille’s paintings were characterized by his use of bright colors, loose brushwork, and attention to light and shadow. He was known for his figure paintings placed within a landscape en plein air.
Born into a wealthy Protestant family, Bazille initially studied medicine before deciding to pursue art. He developed his style alongside fellow artists such as Claude Monet and Pierre-Auguste Renoir who were also eager to make their mark on the art scene in the 1860s. Despite producing only 46 notable works in total during his short life, Bazille played an important role in the formative years of the Impressionist movement.
Bazille contributed towards laying the groundwork for Impressionism with pieces like The Family Reunion (1867) which introduced a new way of positioning figures outside instead of inside rooms. Alongside this, he also attempted to create artistic innovations using new painting techniques common to France at that time like en plein air painting, where they would paint outdoors with natural lighting effects portraying reality as it was seen by the artist’s eyes.
Bazille tragically died in battle during Franco-Prussian War leaving behind an impressive body of work that strongly influenced later impressionist painters like Vincent van Gogh and Henri Matisse. His legacy remains celebrated today as a pioneer of modern art.
All Frederic Bazille Artwork on Artchive
| Artwork Name | Year | Medium |
|---|---|---|
| La Toilette | 1869-70 | Oil On Canvas |
| Le Petit Jardinier (the Little Gardener) | c. 1866-67 | Oil On Canvas |
| Paysage au bord du Lez | 1870 | Oil on Canvas |
| Summer Scene | 1869 | Oil on Canvas |
| Bazille's Studio; 9 rue de la Condamine | 1870 | Oil on Canvas |
| Portrait of Pierre-Auguste Renoir | 1867 | Oil on Canvas |
