Ferdinand du Puigaudeau was a French Impressionist painter known for his colorful depictions of country fairs, fireworks, and sunsets. Merging elements of Symbolism and Neo-Impressionism with traditional Impressionism, Du Puidgaudeau’s paintings contributed a unique aesthetic voice to the movement. Born on April 4, 1864 in Nantes, France, he was largely self-taught before arriving at the famous artist colony of Pont-Aven in 1886, where he met Paul Gauguin. Through the dealer Paul Durand-Ruel, one of Du Puigaudeau’s paintings was purchased by Edgar Degas, who would become one of his closest friends. During the early 1900s, the artist traveled to Venice where he produced a number of important canvases depicting the iconic sights of the city. Despite his acclaim the artist was often living with his family at the verge of poverty. In the decades that followed, the artist suffered a number of setbacks which left him embittered and depressed. Du Puigaudeau died on September 19, 1930 in Le Croisic, France. Today, his works are held in the collections of the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum in Madrid, the Indianapolis Museum of Art, and the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Quimper in France, among others.