The Provençal Soul Born into an old Provençal family in Marseille, the young man who would become Alphonse Moutte was initially destined for a life of commerce. His family envisioned him following the path of a wheat broker, a practical vocation that seemed far removed from the brush and canvas. Yet, the pull of the arts proved stronger than the demands of trade. After studying at the Lycée Thiers and the École supérieure d'art et de design Marseille-Méditerranée, he sought the light and rigor of Paris. There, he entered the studios of Ernest Meissonier, where his technical foundations were l…