Maurice Esnault was born during the second half of the 19th century in Marolles-les-Bruaux, Sarthe, France. He was a painter of landscapes, cityscapes, and flowers. Esnault uses high horizon lines to give his work a haunting use of space and couples this effect with a dramatic use of light and shadow. His palette is primarily made up of earth and pastel tones with bold touches of bright prismatic color.