The son of a wealthy, art-loving draper, he and his younger brother attended the Académie Julian under the guidance of William Bouguereau.
A devotee of Josephin Péladan's teachings, he took part in all the Salons de la Rose-Croix and was fully involved in the Symbolist movement.
He enjoyed great success during his lifetime, and many of his paintings were acquired by the French state. He took part in the Salon des Artistes Français from 1885 to 1913, then became a founding member of the Salon des Tuileries in 1923.
Maurice Chabas's paintings are spiritual and invite contemplation, as in this silent, uninhabited valley landscape, where the sun shaves the mountain tops.
