On his way from London to Paris, Gray stopped in Rouen and came across Le Cour d'Albane, a  small art gallery near the cathedral.
The director of the gallery Andre Goupil suggested that Gray should hold an exhibition and bring works over from London.
Gray agreed and a month later had his first French exhibition.
In spite of good reviews, sales were not as good as they had been in London.
He found a cheap room on the Rue des Fosses Louis VIII and passed a severe winter there.
He became a pavement artist, copying Raphael, Domenico Ghirlandaio, and other Florentine masters on the ground.
A year later conditions improved when he got long periods of work as an extra in the Théâtre des Arts de Rouen, mostly in Opera.
In spite of the rough life, Gray exhibited at the Salon des Artistes Normands at the Musée des Beaux-Arts for three successive years before he eventually moved on to Paris.
On his way from London to Paris, Gray stopped in Rouen and came across Le Cour d'Albane, a  small art gallery near the cathedral. The director of the gallery Andre Goupil suggested that Gray should hold an exhibition and bring works over from London. Gray agreed and a month later had his first French exhibition. In spite of good reviews, sales were not as good as they had been in London. He found a cheap room on the Rue des Fosses Louis VIII and passed a severe winter there. He became a pavement artist, copying Raphael, Domenico Ghirlandaio, and other Florentine masters on the ground. A year later conditions improved when he got long periods of work as an extra in the Théâtre des Arts de Rouen, mostly in Opera. In spite of the rough life, Gray exhibited at the Salon des Artistes Normands at the Musée des Beaux-Arts for three successive years before he eventually moved on to Paris.
Reginald Gray (artist)