A Wanderer's Eye Across the Americas Born in Sens, France, Ernest Charton lived a life shaped by the restless spirit of a traveler. Before he became known to the people of South America, his early years saw him in Le Havre, where he worked in a shop of novelties. His path toward the brush was not a straight line; while he presented himself to the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, his heart seemed pulled toward the horizon. In 1847, he set out alone for Chile, a move that would forever alter the course of his art and his identity. As he moved through the landscapes of Valparaíso and Santiago, hi…