Eugène Carriere

Eugene Carriere was the eighth of nine children in a poor family. He was born in a small town near Paris, later the family lived in Strasbourg. There the young Carriere completed a five-year training with a lithographer. Afterwards, very much against his father's will, he decided to go to Paris and begin studies at the art academy there. But after only one year he voluntarily joined the army and became a German prisoner of war. Back in Paris the artist married Sophie Desmouceaux. The couple had seven children. At that time, Carriere had only moderate success as a painter and had to take on occasional jobs in order to provide for the family. He designed greeting cards and worked in a porcelain manufactory. At work he also met the later famous sculptor Auguste Rodin , who also had to earn a living here and became his friend.