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‘Leaving for School’
Signed & dated 1867
Oil on Panel 12″ x 10″
Leon Emile Caille
British 1836 – 1907
Leon Caille was a French genre painter, born at Merville in 1836. He studied under the artists Leon Cogniet and Edouard Castan. Leon Caille was one of the many nineteenth century European artists, painting domestic scenes extolling the simple virtues of family life.
Leaving for School is a charming example of this popular genre of painting. Leon Caille beautifully captures a moment in time, as the mother breaks off from her knitting and tenderly places a gentle kiss on her daughter’s forehead, before she leaves for school. The young girl, smartly dressed for school, proudly clutches her book and carries a little lunch basket over her arm. The rays of sunlight from the window illuminate the two faces, highlighting the childish beauty of the young girl and the maternal love of her mother. Leon Caille uses an expressive palette, with muted tones, meticulous attention to detail and a fine brush stroke to produce a most appealing painting.
Leon Caille was well respected during his lifetime, exhibiting at the Paris Salon from 1861 and being elected a member of the’Artistes Francais’. He also enjoyed recognition in England, exhibiting in London during1878. Leon Caille’s works are represented in the Lille Museum.
© Sutcliffe Galleries 2017