Léon Fleury

Léon Fleury trained under Louis Hersent (1777-1860) and the landscape painter Jean-Victor Bertin (1767-1842) before leaving for Italy in 1827 to join Corot and Caruelle d'Aligny (1798-1871). He worked closely with Corot, accompanying him on sketching expeditions to the Apennines. Their technique and style were so similar that their oil sketches were often confused by contemporaries.

Fleury stayed on in Italy, making occasional trips to Naples. In 1830 he returned to Paris, and exhibited at the Salon in the following year.

Text © The National Gallery, London