Portrait of Captain Jacob

Serenne exhibited for the first time at the 1876 Salon and his works appeared regularly at the Societe des Amis des Arts in Nantes. His 1891 exhibition of Interieur de la chapelle de Tremalo shows that he must have visited Pont-Aven. He was known for his skill as a portrait artist. This realist work depicts Yves-Marie Jacob (1851–1908), who in 1887 was appointed Chief Customs Officer for Pont-Aven and was responsible for monitoring salt smuggling between Pont-Aven and Quimperle. During this period, Serenne befriended other artists in the area, including Gauguin and Serusier. Captain Jacob often brought the latter two along on his coastal inspections in the direction of Port-Manec’h and Le Pouldu.