Jules BASTIEN-LEPAGE (Damvillers, 1848 - Paris, 1884) Portrait of a Young Girl in Pigtails Black pencil and stump Signed and dated 'J Bastien - Lepage / 1878' lower left Portrait of a young girl with a braid, black pen and stump, signed and dated, by J. Bastien-Lepage 12.99 x 12.62 in. 33 x 27 cm Bibliography: Marie-Madeleine Aubrun, Jules Bastien-Lepage (1848-1884): Catalogue raisonné de l'oeuvre, Paris, 1985, p. 307, no. D539 (repr.) In barely ten years of activity, Jules Bastien-Lepage, the son of modest farmers, conquered an eminent place on the French and international artistic scene. A brilliant and sought-after portraitist, he became the leader of the "plein-air school" and excelled in depictions of rural life. Our portrait, dated 1878, a few years before his death, is a fine example of a portrait skilfully sketched in black pencil, as evidenced by Marie-Madeleine Aubrun's laudatory comment in her catalogue: "Admirable drawing of a model who is undoubtedly a little severe. But what a beautiful portrait! Jules BASTIEN-LEPAGE (Damvillers, 1848 - Paris, 1884) 33 x 27 cm In barely ten years of activity, Jules Bastien-Lepage, the son of modest farmers, had conquered an eminent place on the French and international artistic scene. A brilliant and sought-after portraitist, he became the leader of the "plein-air school" and excelled in depictions of rural life. Our portrait, dated 1878, a few years before his death, is a fine example of a portrait skilfully sketched in black pencil, as evidenced by Marie-Madeleine Aubrun's eulogistic comment in her catalogue: "Admirable drawing of a model who is undoubtedly a little severe. But what a beautiful portrait!