Émile Jean-Marie Brunet was an accomplished painter that trained under the great Gustave Moreau (1826-1898) at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. He was friends with Albert Marquet, Henri Matisse and Georges Rouault and considered by many to be their equal. Yet his portfolio is often overlooked in favour of his contemporaries.

His lack of notoriety could be due, in part, to his often hermetic nature and it’s been noted that he was a reclusive character.

“Speaking little, meditative spirit, Émile Brunet did not bond easily, but when he had given his friendship, it was deep, sure.”

In 1892, he returned to live in Bordeaux from Paris and perhaps looked to find a calmer environment. It’s interesting that he decorated various churches in the region as this reminds us of a reflective Michelangelo.

Several of Brunet’s works are housed at the Museum of Fine Arts in Bordeaux.