Noticed for his portrayal of Pope Formose and Etienne VII (1870) and for The Death of the Duke of Enghien at the Salon (1872), Jean Paul-Laurens became increasingly popular and had his own retrospective exhibition at the Universal Exposition in Paris (1878). Henceforth, he was among the most respected artists of his time, revered by Rodin and later Péguy and Gide. During the beginnings of the Third Republic, Laurens decorated large monumental ensembles, particularly in Paris and Toulouse, placing him in a privileged position at the service of the public commission.
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