Etienne-Prosper Berne-Bellecour (French, 1838-1910), Soldiers Fishing at a Bridge

Oil on panel, 1892, signed and dated at lower left, presented in a period gilt composition frame with gallery plaques.

Panel 5 3/4 x 9 1/2 in.; Frame dimensions 12 1/4 x 16 1/8 in.

Private Collection from an Equestrian Farm, Moore County, North Carolina

Étienne-Prosper Berne-Bellecour was a French painter, printmaker, and illustrator best known for his academically rendered military scenes. Born in Boulogne-sur-Mer, he trained at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris and gained firsthand experience of warfare while serving during the Franco-Prussian War, an influence that lent authenticity to his depictions of soldiers and camp life. He exhibited regularly at the Paris Salons and was appointed a Chevalier of the Légion d’Honneur in 1878.

Faint surface scratch running diagonally from top left corner to top center of bridge; minor chipping to paint along frame edge at lower right.