▁Pennsylvania , ▁Sh inn ▁worked ▁for ▁several ▁years ▁as ▁a ▁convey ancer ▁in ▁Philadelphia . ▁In ▁ 1 8 5 9 ▁he ▁took ▁his ▁first ▁step ▁toward ▁a ▁career ▁in ▁art ▁by ▁en rolling ▁in ▁the ▁Pennsylvania ▁Academy ▁of ▁the ▁Fine ▁Arts ▁to ▁study ▁drawing ▁and ▁painting . ▁He ▁remained ▁at ▁the ▁Academy ▁until ▁ 1 8 6 3 ▁( pres umably ▁decl ining ▁to ▁serve ▁in ▁the ▁Union ▁army ▁because ▁of ▁his ▁religious ▁belief s ). ▁The ▁following ▁year , ▁Sh inn ▁moved ▁to ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁and ▁worked ▁as ▁a ▁staff ▁writer ▁for ▁the ▁week ly ▁publication ▁Frank ▁Les lie ' s ▁Illustr ated ▁New sp aper . ▁ ▁In ▁April ▁ 1 8 6 6 , ▁after ▁having ▁returned ▁to ▁Philadelphia ▁as ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁his ▁parents ' ▁death s ▁the ▁summer ▁before , ▁Sh inn , ▁accompanied ▁by ▁his ▁sculpt or ▁friend ▁Howard ▁Roberts , ▁tra ve led ▁to ▁France ▁with ▁the ▁goal ▁of ▁continu ing ▁his ▁studies ▁in ▁drawing ▁and ▁painting ▁at ▁the ▁É cole ▁nationale ▁sup érieure ▁des ▁Be aux - Ar ts ▁in ▁Paris . ▁When ▁he ▁arrived ▁in ▁Paris ▁later ▁that ▁spring , ▁the ▁school ▁had ▁susp ended ▁its ▁en roll ment ▁of ▁foreign ▁students . ▁ ▁He ▁and ▁Roberts ▁connected ▁with ▁Robert ▁W yl ie , ▁a ▁former ▁cur ator ▁at ▁the ▁Pennsylvania ▁Academy ▁of ▁the ▁Fine ▁Arts ▁living ▁in ▁Paris , ▁who ▁convinced ▁the ▁two ▁of ▁them ▁to ▁join ▁him ▁that ▁summer ▁in ▁Pont - A ven , ▁a ▁village ▁on ▁the ▁Bre