Born in Couëron, Leray was the son of a famous doctor from Nantes who distinguished himself during the 1832 cholera pandemic.
After studying as a scholarship student at the college in Nantes, Leray entered the city school of fine arts.
Since then, his works have appeared with great success at all the annual Salons.
[1][2][failed verification] Gifted with a fine and delicate talent, Leray excelled at genre paintings, where coquetry and grace give a poetic character.
[1][5][failed verification] Leray died as a result of a stroke he had suffered four days earlier, while painting in his workshop on Rue Véron [fr].