The Miraculous Draught 1850

Henri-Pierre Picou painted "The Miraculous Draught" in France, sometime in the mid-19th century. The painting depicts a New Testament scene, but the artist's choices reflect the social and cultural concerns of his time. Picou was part of the Neo-Grec movement, which sought to revive classical Greek aesthetics. This interest in the ancient world was a way of commenting on contemporary French society, which many artists saw as overly industrialized and materialistic. Religious painting became newly popular during the French Second Empire as the church gained influence in public life. The scene portrays Christ bestowing an abundant catch of fish upon the apostles. We can notice the classical drapery of the figures’ robes and an idealized landscape that places the biblical story in conversation with an imagined, beautiful past. The image is an example of how artists use historical and religious subjects to engage with their own social context. Further research into the Neo-Grec movement and the religious art market of 19th-century France would provide more insight into this painting’s significance.