Les Matelassieres (The Mattress Makers)

Born in Montmartre, the son of poor parents, Brouet worked his way through night drawing classes and the Ecole des Beaux-Arts. He lived in poverty as an art student but became well known to collectors because of his sincerity in portraying the street-peddlers, gypsies, street-musicians, beggars, and rag pickers in the passages and places where they congregated. He portrayed the dark side of Montmartre in a romantic rendition, closely resembling the etched work of Rembrandt. In later life he became enthralled with the singers, dancers, and circus life of Paris. Brouet's sensitivity and sympathy for his subjects shows an artist, who has lived the life of the poor portraying his subjects from an intimate point of view. Not only is he acclaimed as one of the important etchers of Paris but he has also etched approximately 20 plates of World War I, recognized not only as reliable documents, but of intense artistic quality.