Bastien Lepage

"Bastien Lepage" by François Crastre is a biographical exploration of the celebrated French painter Jules Bastien-Lepage, who lived from 1848 to 1884, painting vivid pictures of country life and the lower class. The story follows his growth as an artist, and the huge impact of his short time greatly affected the art world. The story shows young Bastien-Lepage's life in Lorraine, his love of painting, and how he wanted to show the reality of peasant life in his art. Featured are his majorly successful works like "The Song of Springtime" and "Hay-making," which convey both the beauty and hardships he saw, along with the impact he left on the artists of that time. Sadly, his early death left a hole in the art world. This book shows how serious Bastien-Lepage was about connecting with his roots, and that he wanted to highlight not just the people, but a larger sense of rural humanity.