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Description: oil on canvas 87 x 60 3/4 in. (221 x 154.3 cm.) LITERATURE The references listed below are for the Salon painting; "Gazette de Beaux-Arts," 1876, vol. 2, p. 10 "L'Art et les Artistes Francais Contemporains," Paris, 1876, p. 5 Mario Proth, "Voyage au Pays des Peintres, Salon de 1876," Paris, 1876, p. 36 "Guide de L'Exposition de Peiture et de Sculpture," Paris, 1876, p. 29, no. 215 "Le Salon a Vol d'Oiseau," Paris, 1876, p. 24 V. Cherbaliez, "Revue des Deux Mondes," Paris, June 15 and July 1, 1876 Charles Timbal, "Le Correspondant, Salon de 1876," Paris, May 25, 1876 "Grands Peintres Francais et Etrangeres" (Exhibition catalogue), Goupil et Cie., Paris, 1886, p. 264 Clement and Hutton, "Artists of the Nineteenth Century and their Works," St. Louis, 1969, vol. 1, pp. 75-76 E. Benezit, "Dictionaire des Peintres, Sculpteurs, Dessinateurs et Graveurs," Paris, 1976, vol. 2, p. 159 Born in Bayonne, France in 1833, Bonnat studied under Frederic Madrazo in Madrid. He came to Paris when he was twenty-two years old, and placed himself under the direction of Leon Cogniet. The first work Bonnat received great attention for was "Adam and Eve finding the Body of Abel" (1860). This painting was bought by the Gallery in Lille. In 1869 Bonnat painted the "Assumption," a work that was much admired. This painting encouraged the artist to paint "Christ on the Cross," which he executed in 1874 and was a commission from the Palais de Justice. Followed by his increased success Bonnat exhibited "A Negro Barber (Suez)" and "La Lutte de Jacob" at the Paris Salon in 1876. Bonnat painted our version of "Jacob and the Angel" after his successful 1876 Salon entry, and there are several related works in the Musee Bonnat in Bayonne. We are grateful to the Musee Bonnat, Bayonne for their assistance in preparing this catalogue entry. Property of A FAMILY TRUST.