Description
This is a popular painting from the Victorian era, depicting children leaving school within a snowy scene. It was painting in the 1850’s by Benjamin Vautier, a popular Swiss painter of the time. There is a Brother of the Christian Schools clearly depicted at the doorway, with his wide-brimmed hat and rabat collar in front. The students are a wonderful mix of characters, as seen from their poses, facial expressions, and gestures. You could make up stories and backgrounds around any one of them, simply by looking at the painting.
There are three versions of this scene that I’m aware of. The one shown here is from the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, and may be seen on their website. There is a different version of the painting, with a different background, that is available for being printed professionally at this website. There is also a black-and-white print of the same scene, most likely done by Vautier, that is found on the internet. Small images of all three are linking in the short description above.
