Portrait of French philosopher Adolphe Franck

French artist Jules Bastien-Lepage painted this portrait of the philosopher Adolphe Franck (1809-1893), demonstrating his notable skill in portraiture. Bastien-Lepage possessed a rare quality: the ability to bestow the same superior care upon every part of a portrait. He never shirked any difficulty, taking particular care with hands, which he considered as important as faces.

Franck was a French philosopher known for his work on Jewish and religious philosophy. He taught at the College de France and wrote extensively on the history of philosophy. Bastien-Lepage captured him with the naturalistic precision that characterized all his portrait work.

The painting now hangs at the Musee d'Orsay in Paris. Bastien-Lepage died young at thirty-six in 1884, but his naturalistic approach to both portraiture and rural scenes influenced a generation of artists.