This early 20th-century oil painting by French artist Charles Clair (1860-1930) depicts numerous sheep feeding in a stone barn.Hailing from the picturesque rural area of Mars-sur-Allier, near Nevers, in central France, Clair’s early years were spent on the family farm, and it’s likely that during his childhood, he assisted his father with the daily routines. One can imagine the young man clutching his sketchbook as he studied the various livestock. Tucked alongside the sheepfold to observe movement and form. These early experiences would underpin his love for animal painting, which served him well as his career progressed.He trained initially at the École des Arts in Nevers, near home, and later at the illustrious École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. It was a classical education whereby the emphasis was placed on life drawing and studying the masters. It’s recorded in Salon catalogues that he also trained under the tutelage of academic painter William-Adolphe Bouguereau (1825-1905).<...