Genre painter Paul-Charles Chocarne-Moreau and the mischievous children of his paintings

Mischievous boys are the chief heroes of the work of the genre painter Paul-Charles Chocarne-Moreau (1855–1931). The artist was interested in how children from humble families spent their time, what their lives were made of, and what held their interest: running about the streets and stealing pastries, getting up to pranks, smoking pilfered cigarettes and furtively sampling wine. Genre painting flourished around the turn of the century, celebrated in the abundant press and in pamphlets, and illustrating lavish publications, and it was Chocarne-Moreau, a regular exhibitor at the Salons and a commercial success, who staked his claim to the theme of childhood; he left hundreds of works. His artless scenes were close to many hearts: anyone could recognise in these scamps himself or his own children. And it must be said that there were no particular objections, for instance from the clergy, to the comic treatment of childhood within church walls.