Apprenticed at an early age in various businesses, it was through contact with the lithographer Faria that his talent for drawing seemed to reveal itself.
He attended evening classes, then Gustave Moreau's studio, and decided to pursue a career as a painter.

Before the First World War, with the rise of the artist's etching,
Brouet also produced many small original prints of a much more personal inspiration.

His work was soon recognized by dealers and collectors.