French painter, born in Montpellier into a well-to-do family. His first contact with the art was at the house of Alfred Bruyas, a family friend and an art collector. There the young Bazille was impressioned by 2 Delacroix's paintings.

In 1862 Bazille went to Paris where he attended art lessons at Gleyre's studio and met Renoir, Monet and Sisley. Together they formed a group of painters that later would be knowned as impressionists. 

In 1864 Bazille and Monet met the marine landscape painters Boudin and Jongkind both considered as protoimpressionist artists. In the following year Bazille made 2 canvases which he submitted to the Salon but only the one with a still-life was accepted.

The main artistic influences observed in Bazille's works came from Courbet and Manet. 

As Bazille was financially more secure than his friend he often gave them material support and shared his studio with Monet and Renoir. In 1868 Bazille took a studio at Rue de la Condamine, which he depicted in one of his famous canvases.

Bazille was a painter of great promise but his career was short cut by his death  on November 28, 1870 during the Franco-Prussian War.