Héreau trained as an architect before taking up painting in the studio of Robert-Fleury and Charles Jacque. He first exhibited at the Salon in 1855 and continued until 1879, increasingly working on views of Paris. The river is probably the Seine and the twin towers beyond the bridge those of Notre Dame. 

Héreau depicts the watering of horses before they commence the day’s work. This canvas is painted in the popular style of en plein air painting of the 1860s, with loose brush strokes and a sense of movement appropriate to the subject. It is the kind of work and loose finish that was considered appropriate in a sketch, but not tolerated in a full-scale work intended for sale, or the walls of the salon.

Provenance: bequeathed by the Founders, 1885

Object description
Type: Easel painting
Location: Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle, County Durham
Material: Oil on canvas
Artist: Jules Héreau (1839–1879)
Date: c. 1860

Image Details
Date: 7 Feb 2025
Camera body: iPhone Xs
Lens: Wide Camera 26mm ƒ/1.8
Focal Length: 26mm
Aperture: ƒ/1.8
Shutter Speed: 1/33s
ISO: 400
Licensing: Image of a Bowes Museum asset. This image cannot be licensed.