Between 1895 and 1902, he spent his summers in Fresselines, near Crozant, where he became friends with Maurice Rollinat and met Allan Österlind, Jean Geffroy, Armand Dayot, Lucien Descaves, and Bernard Naudin. Rollinat was an important ally in his defense of the rural world as a source of authenticity. At this stage, Maillaud tackled subjects such as church interiors, funeral processions, scenes of the Holy Family, and peasants in the midst of their work. From an early age, Maillaud showed a strong inclination for drawing. In 1878. In 1886, he married Fernande Sevry, and they settled in Montmartre. Fernand attended drawing courses offered by the city of Paris and later joined Adolphe Yvon's workshop at the École des Beaux-Arts. Maillaud began to collaborate with illustrations for the magazine La Famille and drew models for a fashion publication. He joined the circle of post-impressionist and symbolist artists formed in 1891 around Paul Gauguin. From 1894, he made long stays at the home of his sister-in-law, headmistress of a school in Issoudun, and also in Argenton-sur-Creuse, where he became friends with figures such as Jenny de Vasson, Hugues Lapaire, and Jacques des Gachons. At the request of Father Jules Chevalier, he created six large decorative panels for the refectory of a Sacred Heart convent. He also exhibited at the avant-garde art gallery Le Barc de Boutteville, alongside artists such as Maurice Denis, Maxime Maufra, and Ker-Xavier Roussel. He made his debut in 1896 at the Salon des Artistes Français, participating regularly until his death. He was awarded a gold medal in this competition. In 1899, he accompanied the de Vasson family to Italy, where he painted numerous landscapes, especially in Venice. In 1900, he obtained an honorable mention in the Salon. He participated in an exhibition in Buenos Aires in 1909 and a group show at the gallery La Cimaise in Paris, under the direction of the art dealer Georges Petit, along with Jules Adler and Henri Martin. In 1912, he exhibited at the Bernheim-Jeune gallery. Between 1914 and 1919, his work was shown in multiple exhibitions both in France and abroad. In 1918, he presented works in Rio de Janeiro and then in Paris, at the Devambez and Artès galleries. With his wife, he established a tapestry workshop in Issoudun. In 1932, he traveled for the first time to Algeria, where he exhibited in Oran and Algiers, and continued to visit the country every winter until 1938. In 1937 and 1938, he also traveled and painted in Morocco. From 1928, his interest turned to the sunny landscapes of the Mediterranean.