Eugene Clary was born in Paris in 1856 and was a protégé of C. de Cook.  At 27 years of age, after studying art for several years, he began exhibiting at the Salon in 1878. At this time, his works consisted of mostly landscapes painted on the banks of the Seine, in the Eure valley, and in Normandy. These paintings would lay the foundation for one of his more frequent themes – trees reflecting in the waters of rivers.

In 1890, Clary entered the Societe Nationale, later becoming a member and receiving a gold medal for his work. His success continued, as he obtained a bronze medal at the Universal Exhibition of 1900, and participated in the exhibitions of the Nationale des Beaux-Arts.

By 1908, at the age of 52, Clary’s sight began to deteriorate. In 1926, having gone completely blind, he died in Les Andelys.

His works mostly feature the edges of the Seine, which he approached with his own personal charm. Paintings by Clary are present in many prominent collections, including the Museum of Louviers, which owns three of his landscapes.