Maximilien Luce (Born 1858 – Died 1941) was a French artist of the Neo-Impressionist style. He was a lithographer, painter and draftsman. Luce was first influenced by Impressionism before he got inspired by the Divisionist style of Seurat Georges. Later on he adopted a Pointillist approach to painting, as can be seen in his work titled “On the Bank of the Seine at Poissy” which he did in 1895. His association with the Neo-Impressionists covered even anarchism which was their political philosophy, and many of his illustrations appeared in socialist periodicals. Though he was much known for the landscapes he depicted, he also frequently covered political topics as his subject matter, empathizing and identifying with the proletariat. Luce became an apprentice to Henri-Théophile Hildebrand the wood engraver at the age of 14.
Luce was born into a poor family and after his initial training as a wood carver he began to study engraving, and took evening courses to widen his knowledge. After completing his training, Luce joined Froment Eugène in his shop. In 1877, the two traveled to London where Luce stayed for two years. Luce returned to Paris in 1879 and began his military service in which he served for four years. During his military service, he studied at the Suisse Academy and at the École des Beaux-Arts in the studio of Carolus-Duran, with his paintings showing the influence of impressionists. In the 1880s, the artist met and made friends with many painters in Paris, including Paul Signac, Georges Seurat and Camille Pissarro.
