Eugène Fromentin (1820–1876): French Painter & Writer Celebrated for His Evocative Orientalist Scenes of Algeria, Masterful Use of Color, and Insightful Art Criticism in ‘The Old Masters’ Eugène Fromentin, born in the port city of La Rochelle, France, in 1820, was a figure uniquely positioned at the intersection of painting and prose. His life wasn’t one of dramatic upheaval, but rather a steady immersion into observation—a meticulous study of both the physical world and the human spirit. Initially destined for a legal career, Fromentin abandoned law to pursue his artistic inclinations, a de…