▁in ▁ 1 8 6 1 . ▁He ▁later ▁won ▁a ▁medal ▁there ▁three ▁years ▁in ▁a ▁row ▁( 1 8 6 6 – 6 8 ) ▁and ▁was ▁awarded ▁a ▁first - class ▁medal ▁at ▁the ▁Ex position ▁Univers elle ▁( 1 8 7 8 ). ▁Following ▁that , ▁he ▁was ▁named ▁a ▁Knight ▁in ▁the ▁Leg ion ▁of ▁Honor . ▁He ▁was ▁given ▁a ▁gold ▁medal ▁at ▁the ▁Ex position ▁Univers elle ▁( 1 8 8 9 ). ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁Franco - Pr uss ian ▁War , ▁he ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁forces ▁in ▁Pas - de - Cal ais . ▁He ▁also ▁served ▁as ▁Mayor ▁of ▁Cour ri ères , ▁as ▁did ▁his ▁father , ▁Marie - Louis ▁Bre ton ▁( 1 7 9 6 – 1 8 4 8 ) ▁and ▁his ▁uncle , ▁Bon if ace ▁Bre ton ▁( 1 8 2 9 – 1 8 9 1 ). ▁▁ ▁He ▁was ▁prof ound ly ▁affected ▁by ▁the ▁death ▁of ▁his ▁only ▁son , ▁Louis , ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 1 ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁twenty - n ine , ▁which ▁came ▁shortly ▁after ▁the ▁death ▁of ▁his ▁wife . ▁The ▁following ▁year , ▁he ▁decided ▁to ▁abandon ▁painting ▁and ▁sold ▁his ▁entire ▁work shop ▁at ▁au ction . ▁Later , ▁he ▁began ▁painting ▁again , ▁but ▁produced ▁very ▁little . ▁ ▁His ▁nie ce ▁was ▁Virgin ie ▁Dem ont - Bre ton , ▁who ▁was ▁also ▁a ▁well - known ▁painter . ▁Ad