Born in Paris in 1871, Georges Rouault began his artistic training as an apprentice to a stained-glass restorer, an experience that profoundly influenced his mature style. He later studied at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts under Gustave Moreau, who became a significant mentor to him and his contemporaries.

Rouault is best known for his depictions of clowns, prostitutes, and religious figures, rendered with thick, black contours and rich, impasto layers of paint. His technical approach often involved a laborious process of layering and scraping, resulting in a textured, somber, and deeply spiritual visual language.

His legacy remains anchored in his contributions to 20th-century modernism, particularly his mastery of printmaking and his ability to bridge the gap between traditional religious iconography and the emotive intensity of Expressionism.