Maxime Maufra, taught by local artists, began painting in his hometown of Nantes. It was not until 1883, after having returned from Great Britain, where he had discovered the Old Masters and the English painters <a href=" https://findartvalue.com/artist/thomas-gainsborough-r-a">Thomas Gainsborough</a> (1727-1788), Constable (q.v.), and Turner (q.v.), that Maufra gave up a business career and began