Rupert Bunny
Rupert Bunny (1864-1947) was an Australian-born painter who became a successful artist while living and working in Paris. Bunny was born in Kildare, Victoria, and at the age of 20 departed for Paris where he spent the next five decades.
Bunny became well established during the turn of the century in the Parisian artistic community and was the first Australian painter to exhibit in the esteemed Paris Salon. Bunny was influenced heavily by French impressionism but later by the style of Henri Matisse. He was mainly known for his large canvases that depicted languid, sleepy images of women resting or enjoying leisurely activities. His beautiful French wife, Jeanne Morel, was frequently the female model in these sumptuous scenes.
Bunny also painted landscapes, figure studies, and scenes from mythology and literature. He was considered a master colorist as is evident in this painting. Here we see people on holiday enjoying the seaside resort of St. Georges de Didonne on the Atlantic coast. Bunny uses his strong sense of color to bring elegance and life to this painting of a lovely summer day.
After the death of his wife, Bunny returned to Australia after 55 years of being away. He lived a simple life, continued to paint and exhibit, and lived to see a retrospective of his work shown in his homeland one year before he died.
- Heidi Werber
P.S. Not only shrimps but also lobsters made their way to art - here you will find a very fine selection of famous lobsters in art :)