Jules Georges Victor Clairin

An academic painter, Clairin exhibited at the Salon des Artistes Français from 1866 but quickly abandoned the classical repertoire after numerous trips to Brittany, Spain and Morocco in the footsteps of Delacroix. He was a pupil of Pills and Picault but worked mainly under the direction of Regnault. He returned to Paris in 1870 and took part in the fighting in which his friend Regnault was killed.

Clairin created several decorations for the Tours theatre and the Garnier opera house in Paris, where he painted 3 ceilings and 6 panels. His subjects were very varied: Venetian festivities, opera ballets, oriental scenes and, in particular, women adorned with jewels. Sarah Bernhardt became his friend and muse. He often stayed at her home in Brittany and painted several portraits of the actress.