Jean Béraud (French, 1849-1936)

Famous for his ability to capture the excitement and bustle of Parisian life in the final decades of the 19th Century, Jean Beraud did not focus solely upon the denizens of the upper reaches of French society. As an artist, Beraud was most concerned with capturing the realities of life in the French capital, and he would therefore have frequented the billiard hall so accurately depicted in La partie de billiard.

Billiards was first played only in private clubs, later became a café game and finally a full-fledged sport.