Chapter 13 – The Woman in the Storeroom

Mère Lessard spoke of him in alternate tones of adoration and disdain. One moment he was so pure and heroic that no man could ever live up to his memory, the next a feckless, irresponsible dreamer who should serve as an example of how far a man-turned-firebringer could fall from grace.

Murer the Baker – Pierre August Renoir – 1877 (The Baker upon whom Pere Lessard is based.

He was running the bakery, going to school, taking his painting lessons at Monsieur Renoir’s studio around the corner—too much for just a boy

Paul Pissarro – Camille Pissaro – 1898 (I thought this might be what Lucien would have looked like during the period that he was learning to paint.)

Saint Monet of Le Havre,

Claude Monet – self Portrait – Claude Monet – 1876

Saint Cezanne of Aix,

Paul Cezanne – Pierre August Renoir – 1880

Saint Pissarro of Auvers,

Camille Pissaro – Self-Portrait – Camille Pissarro – 1873

Saint Renoir of Paris

Renoir- Self-portrait – Pierre August Renoir – 1875

It was too early for them to have gone down to Père Tanguy’s shop in Pigalle

Moulin Rouge and Place Pigalle in the Snow – Antoine Blanchard – 1906

“It was midwinter, and it had been snowing for two days. We could see smoke from Papa’s stove from the window and little more.

View of Paris Roofs in the Snow – Gustave Callebotte – 1878

Paris in the Snow – Paul Gauguin – 1894

Cézanne and Pissarro pounded on the studio door but got no answer.