Victor-Gabriel Gilbert

Gilbert was considered the pre-eminent painter of the place du marché. He achieved considerable success, while firmly establishing his reputation at the 1880 Salon when he obtained a second class medal, critical acclaim and a state purchase for his painting entitled A Corner of the Fish Market, Morning (Musée des Beaux-Arts, Lille). By the mid-19th century there was a proliferation of daily markets throughout Paris, needed to feed the growing city, and especially required to cater to the whims of the emerging middle and upper classes. Fresh fruits, vegetables and flowers flowed daily into the city, carried by peasants and local farmers, to please the palettes and tastes of its inhabitants.