Lot 54: Paul Charles Chocarne-Moreau, (French, 1855-1931), "L'Apprenti Patissier et Le Petit Ramoneur", 1916, oil on canvas, 18" x 15"

Paul Charles Chocarne-Moreau
(French, 1855-1931)

"L'Apprenti Patissier et Le Petit Ramoneur", 1916

oil on canvas
signed lower left, dated on stretcher. Framed.
18" x 15"

Notes: Often regarded as the French predecessor of Norman Rockwell, Paul Chocarne-Moreau had a prodigious career, specializing in daily life genre scenes of young working class boys. Apprenticed out at young ages for vocational jobs, their childhood was often overlooked as they were dressed in the clothes of their to-be profession - ferrier, baker, domestic, altar boy, factory worker, etc. Chocarne-Moreau, however, took to the streets to capture their juvenile, albeit endearing, games and charades played in moments of respite or idleness. Realistically portrayed, often times with vibrant storefronts or billboards, in the background, Chocarne-Moreau's motley helpers won the hearts of Parisians. His sentimentalized depictions appealed to large audiences as they involved the public intimately, earning him multiple private commissions and honors. One of Chocarne-Moreau favorite anecdotal characters was the young baker, who was depicted more often sneaking sweets than working. In the painting offered here, which Chocarne-Moreau painted several versions of, the apprentice shares his spoils of "labor" with his pal, the little chimney sweep.