Jules Jacques Veyrassat French (1828-1893) PAUSE BY THE RIVER oil on panel, framed, signed: lower left, Veyrassat H12 3/4" W10 1/2" *Artist biography: Jules Jacque Veyrassat studied art in Paris under Lehman and had his first paintings exhibited in the Paris Salon in 1848. Veyrassat was widely distinguished in France by his painting, and he garnered further attention when he began working as an etcher in the 1860's. Veyrassat was awarded medals for his etching work in 1866 and 1869. His skill as an etcher was further acknowledged when respected British scholar Philip Gilbert Hamerton (1834-1894) commissioned Veyrassat works for several of his books on the art of etching, including Chapters on Animals (1874) and Etching and Etchers (1880). Veyrassat continued to accrue acclaim and recognition for both his painting and etching work. He received another medal for his painting in 1872. Finally in 1878, Veryrassat was awarded the prestigious Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur (the medal of honour of knighthood) by the Paris Salon. Veyrassat is generally associated with the Barbizon School of painters. His work is often compared to the rural works of prominent Barbizon painter and engraver Charles Emile Jacque (1813-1894) and well-known Barbizon painter Jean-François Millet (1814-1875). Veyrassat expanded and applied the technique and style of the Barbizon culture to include new content, particularly the agrarian areas in central France. Veyrassat's work in this region has been noted for the multitude of remarkable depictions of the farm horse. Though Veyrassat never left his home country of France, acclaim and respect for his work spread throughout Europe. In his 1911 book, Etchings, British scholar and author Frederick Wedmore (1844-1921) rightfully extolled Veyrassat in the following passage: "Perfect unity belonged to each (work): each piece was a lyric of the country-a record beautiful and real. They comprise some of the most distinguished studies wrought in all the years since men have etched." Museum Collections: Musée des Augustins, Toulouse, France, Manchester City Art Gallery, Manchester, UK de Young Museum, San Francisco, California Legion of Honor Museum, San Francisco, California Clark Art Institute, Williamstown, Massachusetts.