Maximilien Luce: Portrait of artist's wife, asleep

Our work relates to several paintings between 1900 and 1908 (see: J. Boin-Luce, D. Bazetoux, Maximilien Luce: catalogue raisonné de l’oeuvre peint, Images Modernes, 1986).

Luce began to study art, specialising in printmaking in Hildebrand's studio, where he completed his training in 1876. He then started to work with Eugène Froment, engraving plates for publications. In the mid-1880s Luce became interested in Seurat's techniques. He held his first exhibition in 1887, showing seven works at the third Salon des Indépendants. During the early years of the 20th century, he painted portraits and floral still lifes, while he abandoned neo-Impressionist techniques in favour of a much freer handling.His political views, being an anarchist, were known and influenced his life as an artist.