Labbé was a versatile and highly regarded artist. He began his career asserting himself as a landscape painter - often working in The forest of Fontainebleau, which provided an abundant array of flora and fauna. By the age of 16, he was showing works at the illustrious Salon in Paris, where he continued to exhibit for 40 years.

In 1840, he gained an interest in ‘Orientalism’ and began touring the East for inspiration. He subsequently gained a reputation as a noteworthy orientalist painter, which led to a commission to decorate the Sultan’s Palace in Constantinople.

By 1876, he had moved to Algiers where he remained for the rest of his life. In his final years, he was managing its new School of Fine Arts.