 He worked initially in a range of different areas, from genre scenes to religious subjects and perspective painting, and successfully tried his hand at painting portraits, animals and landscapes at the turn of the century.He began to establish his reputation as an artist in 1880, when he was awarded a prize by the Ministry of Education, and became well known as a painter of moderately naturalistic portraits particularly appreciated by the middle-class establishment.An autobiography richly illustrated with reproductions of his most celebrated works was published in 1926.