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Braque violated many rules and traditions of both art and artists. He sold well almost from the start, and never lived like a bohemian. He preferred to paint by southern rather than northern light because it seemed less harsh. He was even happily married.
In his latest works, Braque painted mostly birds, perhaps a myopia of age but also a further probing of nature by studying a single subject. He depicted the heron, ibis and flamingo that frequent the Camargue in southern France, and the humble crow of the Norman fields near his summer home at Varengeville. His birds soar mysteriously, far above feathers and fuss. "In art," said Braque, "One must respect the mystery. When one thinks he has plumbed it, he has only deepened it."