Charles Émile Jacque was born in 1813 in France. During the mid-nineteenth century he fled Paris because of the Cholera epidemic, relocating to Barbizon with another artist, Jean-François Millet. In Barbizon, Jacque became part of the Barbizon School and painted rustic or pastoral subject matters, mostly scenes from farm life. Along with painting, Jacque is also known for his etchings and engravings. He also provided illustrations for numerous books. Jacque had two sons who also became engravers and a third who was executed during the French States repression of the Paris Commune.