Updated November 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 35 works by Lucien Simon in our catalogue
In short
To the gallery's eye, Lucien Simon's most famous painting is On a Visit, Begging Sisters (1902), whose original hangs in the Petit Palais, Paris. The Friends (1899) and Cirque forain, Finistère (1900) complete the trio every eye recognises. Of the 35 works by Lucien Simon in our catalog, the gallery presents the 32 most famous below, each original with its year, its museum and what makes it unique.
The oil painting titled On a Visit, Begging Sisters captures a quiet, heavy moment of human connection. Created about 1902, the work is a product of the hand of Lucien Simon. The canvas holds a stillness that reflects the somber weight of the figures gathered within its frame.
The air in the room feels heavy, thick with the scent of old wood and the unspoken thoughts of five men. They sit closely, a dense cluster of figures pulled toward the center of a dimly lit interior. There is a profound sense of stillness here, as if the world outside has ceased to exist, leaving only this intimate circle of companionship. The light does not flood the space; instead,…
The oil painting depicts a circus scene set within a circular ring, viewed from the perspective of an observer situated within a darkened crowd. In the upper right quadrant, a female performer in a white tutu and pink tights is captured mid-motion, leaping or dancing while holding French tricolor flags. Below this central figure, the spectators are rendered as shadowed forms, their faces and bodies suggested through loose, expressive brushstrokes.…
In Jour d'été, portrait de mes enfants, Lucien Simon invites us into a quiet, sunlit interior where three children are positioned in a balanced triangular formation. This arrangement spans the foreground and middle ground, grounding the subjects within the airy space. A large open window serves as the primary source of light and depth, revealing a coastal landscape that extends toward a distant horizon. Through this aperture, the receding view…
In the Impressionist oil painting Bathers by Lucien Simon, a group of women is positioned at the edge of a body of water. The figures are shown in various states of undress, some engaged in the act of bathing while others prepare to enter the water. These women are situated near a large, dark cliff or rock formation that anchors the right side of the composition. The landscape consists of…
In this large-scale oil painting, The Communicants by Lucien Simon captures a moment of profound stillness. Created about 1911, the work presents a group of figures gathered within a solemn, architectural setting. These figures, who appear to be young girls or perhaps nuns, occupy the space with a quiet, ritualistic presence. They move through a dense and layered composition that draws the eye through the staggered formation of their bodies.
A group of figures gathers in a coastal village, their forms anchored against a heavy, overcast sky. The air feels thick, saturated with the moisture of the Atlantic. In the foreground, the people move with a quiet, stoic rhythm, their silhouettes defined by thick, textured brushstrokes that suggest the coarse fabric of their traditional attire. Earthy tones of ochre and muted brown settle over the scene, interrupted only by small,…
The oil painting titled Nausicaa presents a wide, horizontal scene set against a rugged, mountainous landscape. In the foreground and middle ground, a group of women are positioned near a body of water, such as a river or a coastline. The figures are distributed across the composition, creating a rhythmic movement through the space. Some women stand upon the rocky terrain, while others are situated within the water. The color…
In Le quai d'Audierne, Lucien Simon organizes the maritime landscape into distinct, layered planes. The foreground is anchored by the heavy presence of figures gathered upon a stone quay. These figures inhabit the immediate space, grounding the viewer in the physical reality of the harbor. Beyond them, the middle ground opens into a stretch of water where various sailing vessels rest. The composition relies on the diminishing size of these…
In "Sardine Fishery in Penmarc'h," Lucien Simon captures a bustling scene of a sardine fishery in Penmarc'h. Created about 1933, this impressionistic oil painting focuses on the labor and daily life of a fishing community. The work centers on the rhythmic, heavy movements of people engaged in their trade. It is a study of a coastal working area where the salt air meets the grit of manual toil.
Flower Volcano2004 · Royal Free Hospital
12
Wrestlers in Brittany1898 · Museum of Fine Arts Ghent (MSK)
13
Returning from Mass in PenmarchFinnish National Gallery
14
Talking in the TwilightNationalmuseum
15
The Fair
16
Le goûter1906
17
Intimité1944 · Musée des Beaux-Arts de Quimper
18
The Burning of the Seaweed in Front of the Chapelle Notre-Dame-de-la-Joie in Penmarc'h1913 · Musée des Beaux-Arts de Quimper
19
Staging Post1913
20
The Fairground Parade1919 · Musée des Beaux-Arts de Quimper
21
After the War1919
22
Cheval effrayé1931
23
Quai de Kérity1938 · Musée d'Orsay
24
Bigoudènes devant les tréteaux1940 · Musée des Beaux-Arts de Quimper
25
In the Breton Countryside1945
26
Abstract Design2005 · Edgware Community Hospital
27
Red Abstract2004 · Royal Free Hospital
28
Departure of the Leave-Takers of the Great War at the Gare de Pont-l'Abbé
29
A Gust of WindPushkin State Museum
30
A Parisian Funeral
31
Strata2004 · Royal Free Hospital
32
Famille bigoudène en deuil1910 · Musée des Beaux-Arts de Quimper
The four subjects that come back most often in these originals, each with its finest example.
The 8 museums that hold the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by Lucien Simon | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 Musée des Beaux-Arts de Quimper |
Quimper | 5 | Intimité, The Burning of the Seaweed in Front of the Chapelle Notre-Dame-de-la-Joie in Penmarc'h, The Fairground Parade |
 Petit Palais |
Paris | 3 | On a Visit, Begging Sisters, The Friends, Nausicaa |
 Musée d'Orsay |
Paris | 3 | Jour d'été, portrait de mes enfants, The Communicants, Quai de Kérity |
 Royal Free Hospital |
London | 3 | Flower Volcano, Red Abstract, Strata |
 National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design |
Oslo | 1 | Cirque forain, Finistère |
 National Museum of Fine Arts |
Buenos Aires | 1 | Bathers |
 Hermitage Museum |
Saint Petersburg | 1 | Bretons |
 Musée d'Unterlinden |
Colmar | 1 | Le quai d'Audierne |
Pick a decade to see the original that defines it.
The air in the room feels heavy, thick with the scent of old wood and the unspoken thoughts of five men. They sit closely, a dense cluster of figures pulled toward the center of a dimly lit interior. There is a profound sense of stillness here, as if the world outside has ceased to exist, leaving only this intimate circle of companionship. The light does not flood the space; instead,…
The oil painting titled On a Visit, Begging Sisters captures a quiet, heavy moment of human connection. Created about 1902, the work is a product of the hand of Lucien Simon. The canvas holds a stillness that reflects the somber weight of the figures gathered within its frame.
In this large-scale oil painting, The Communicants by Lucien Simon captures a moment of profound stillness. Created about 1911, the work presents a group of figures gathered within a solemn, architectural setting. These figures, who appear to be young girls or perhaps nuns, occupy the space with a quiet, ritualistic presence. They move through a dense and layered composition that draws the eye through the staggered formation of their bodies.
In Le quai d'Audierne, Lucien Simon organizes the maritime landscape into distinct, layered planes. The foreground is anchored by the heavy presence of figures gathered upon a stone quay. These figures inhabit the immediate space, grounding the viewer in the physical reality of the harbor. Beyond them, the middle ground opens into a stretch of water where various sailing vessels rest. The composition relies on the diminishing size of these…
In "Sardine Fishery in Penmarc'h," Lucien Simon captures a bustling scene of a sardine fishery in Penmarc'h. Created about 1933, this impressionistic oil painting focuses on the labor and daily life of a fishing community. The work centers on the rhythmic, heavy movements of people engaged in their trade. It is a study of a coastal working area where the salt air meets the grit of manual toil.
In the quiet corners of art history, certain works possess the unique ability to halt time, inviting the viewer into a sanctuary of stillness. Lucien Simon’s 1944 masterpiece, Intimité, is precisely such a work. This evocative portrait captures a profound moment of connection between two figures, seated amidst an abundance of floral arrangements that seem to breathe alongside them. The painting does not merely depict a room; it constructs an…
On a Visit, Begging Sisters (1902), Petit Palais, Paris. The Friends (1899) and Cirque forain, Finistère (1900) come next.
41 years old: On a Visit, Begging Sisters dates from 1902, and Lucien Simon was born in 1861.
On a Visit, Begging Sisters, The Friends, Cirque forain, Finistère, Jour d'été, portrait de mes enfants, Bathers, The Communicants, Bretons, Nausicaa, Le quai d'Audierne and Sardine Fishery in Penmarc'h. The ranking above gives each one's year and museum.
Our catalog holds 35 works by Lucien Simon, dated from 1898 to 1945.
Mostly in Musée des Beaux-Arts de Quimper (Quimper), Petit Palais (Paris) and Musée d'Orsay (Paris). The museum table above lists them all.
In 1910s: 7 of the 32 works on this page were made then, The Communicants among them.
On this page, the earliest is Wrestlers in Brittany (1898) and the latest In the Breton Countryside (1945).
People (6), Water (4) and Sky (4), across the 32 works on this page.
Oil, for 6 of the 32 works on this page.
Impressionism, judging by the originals on this page.
Intimité, The Burning of the Seaweed in Front of the Chapelle Notre-Dame-de-la-Joie in Penmarc'h and The Fairground Parade: the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Quimper, Quimper holds 5 of the works on this page.
