Dagnan-Bouveret and Courtois were friends and students at the Ecole des beaux-arts when they both left the school in 1878 to travel through Courtois's native Franche-Comté. The trip inspired Dagnan-Bouveret to explore genre themes, and he amassed photographs of people and animals from the region, which supported his later naturalistic scenes. This 1879 portrait was made by Courtois during their time together, a period when Dagnan-Bouveret met and courted Courtois's sister, whom he eventually would marry.
Signed in pen and black ink, "G. C. 1879"; inscribed in a later hand, "Portrait de P. A. J. Dagnan-B. par G. Courtois".
Whitney, Wheelock, 1949-, former owner.