"Father Junier" sold vegetables that he went every morning to buy from the market gardeners of Bagneux or Verrière-le-Buisson. He had been a friend of the painter for a long time; his wife cooked for him. Rousseau owed him some money and Mr. Junier had just bought a horse of which he was very proud, so it was agreed that Rousseau would paint him a picture.
Rousseau worked from a photograph.
