Émile Breton

His older brother, Jules, was also a painter and gave him his first lessons, although he was largely self-taught.

His younger brother, Ludovic Breton [fr], was an engineer who was in charge of drilling for the first attempt to build a cross-channel railway tunnel.

During the Franco-Prussian War, he served as a commander of the forces in Pas-de-Calais.

The following year, he decided to abandon painting and sold his entire workshop at auction.

Adrien Demont (who married his niece) and Henri Duhem were among his best-known students.