Biography
Charles Eschard was a French painter, draughtsman and engraver known for landscapes, river scenes and rustic genre painting. He was inspired by the Dutch and Flemish masters of the 17th century.
Born in Caen, Eschard received his earliest training from his father, Charles-Antoine Eschard, before studying at the Rouen School of Drawing under Jean-Baptiste Descamps. He later spent several years in Holland, where he studied the works of earlier northern European painters.
Dutch and Flemish painting remained a strong influence throughout his career. During the 18th century, works by the old northern masters were highly admired by French collectors, and Eschard adopted many of their familiar subjects: broad rivers, ferries, windmills, rustic buildings, fishermen and peasants at work or rest. However, rather than simply reproducing an older style, he adapted it for contemporary taste, using a lighter palette and a more decorative approach to colour. The result was something recognisable to collectors but distinctly of his own period.
This combination is particularly evident in his river landscapes. Their low horizons, expansive skies and busy waterways recall 17th-century Dutch painting, while their colouring and lively groups of figures give them a character more typical of late 18th-century France. His interest in everyday life extended to his drawings and etchings, which frequently feature peasants, fishermen, beggars and other ordinary figures.
Eschard achieved considerable professional recognition. He was agréé by the Académie Royale de Peinture et de Sculpture in 1783 and also worked in Paris as a teacher at the drawing academy established by the Comte de Rohan-Chabot.
Among his most important works is 'Vue de Marseille: Joute et fête sur l'eau', exhibited at the Paris Salon in 1791. Filled with boats, bathers, spectators and numerous small incidents, the painting demonstrates his ability to combine landscape with scenes of everyday activity. It was later incorrectly attributed to Joseph Vernet and entered the Metropolitan Museum of Art under that name before Eschard's authorship was restored in the late 20th century.
He continued exhibiting during the Revolutionary period. In 1798, his exhibited works included views of Mont Blanc and the countryside around Groningen, again demonstrating the breadth of his landscape interests. His attachment to Dutch subjects remained strong late in life: his Marine en Hollande, now at the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Rouen, was retained in his own collection before he donated it to the museum in 1809.
Recent research has corrected the dates traditionally given for Eschard's life. He was born at Caen on 1 March 1744 and died in Paris on 1 February 1820. Earlier references frequently give dates such as 1748-1810 or approximately 1748-1815.
Known For
Landscapes, river scenes, marines, rustic genre scenes, drawings and etchings.
Student Of
Jean-Baptiste Descamps (1714-1791). He also received early artistic instruction from his father, Charles-Antoine Eschard.
Lived In / Travel
Caen; Rouen; Holland; Paris. Eschard spent several years in Holland studying Dutch and Flemish painting before returning to France. His exhibited works later included subjects from Marseille, Haarlem, Groningen and Mont Blanc.
Public Collections
- Musée des Beaux-Arts de Caen
- Musée des Beaux-Arts de Rouen
- Musée Barrois, Bar-le-Duc
- Musée Magnin, Dijon
Timeline
1744
Born in Caen on 1 March, the son of painter Charles-Antoine Eschard.
c. 1750s-1760s
Received his earliest artistic training from his father before studying at the Rouen School of Drawing under Jean-Baptiste Descamps.
1760s-1770s
Spent several years in Holland, studying Dutch and Flemish old masters. This period had a lasting effect on his landscapes and genre scenes.
1783
Approved as an agréé by the Académie Royale de Peinture et de Sculpture.
1780s
Worked in Paris and taught at the drawing academy established by the Comte de Rohan-Chabot.
1791
Exhibited at the Paris Salon. His works included Vue de Marseille: Joute et fête sur l'eau and a view of the port of Haarlem.
1798
Exhibited again at the Paris Salon, including a view of Mont Blanc and a Dutch landscape near Groningen.
1809
Donated his Marine en Hollande to the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Rouen, demonstrating his continued attachment to Dutch-inspired landscapes late in his career.
1820
Died in Paris on 1 February.