Paul Émile Chabas

Paul Émile Chabas painted young women bathing in lakes and streams, often in the soft, misty light of early morning. His nudes are delicate and dreamy, painted with a light, pastel palette. He also worked as a portraitist and illustrator.

He was born in Nantes in 1869 and studied under William-Adolphe Bouguereau and Tony Robert-Fleury. He first showed at the Paris Salon in 1890, won the Prix National in 1899 with Joyous Frolics and took a gold medal at the Exposition Universelle of 1900. His September Morn of 1912 became famous in the United States when it was attacked as immoral in 1913. He became a member of the Académie des Beaux-Arts in 1921 and president of the Société des Artistes Français. He died in Paris in 1937.

In Joyous Frolics, look at the reflections and the pale morning light on the water.