Camille Flers (French, 1802–1868)

b. 1802 — d. 1868

Camille Flers, son of the director of a porcelain factory, received his first artistic training from a pastelist named Demarey. He then worked at his father's factory and studied under Pierre Ciceri (1782-1868), who had him paint theater decorations. He was also briefly a student of Joseph François Paris (1784-1871), a landscape painter and friend of his father. Flers took a job as a cook on a boat traveling to Brazil in 1820 and journeyed around South America while taking many odd jobs to earn a living. In 1826 he returned to France and worked again as a porcelain decorator. Flers painted in the countryside during his free time and made his Salon debut in 1831. He exhibited there regularly through 1863, receiving a second-class medal in 1847 and the Legion of Honor in 1849. After his initial Salon success, Flers began to work in Normandy and also became fascinated with the area around Fontainebleau. He was one of the precursors of the Barbizon school, making studies directly from nature and using them for the final compositions he created in the studio.