Edouard-Henri Avril

Édouard-Henri Avril (about 1885)

Édouard-Henri Avril (born May 21, 1849 in Algiers , † 1928 in Le Raincy ) was a French painter and graphic artist . Under the name Paul Avril he became known as an illustrator of erotic to pornographic novels.

Life

Avril studied from 1874 at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris and from 1878 exhibited his pictures in various Parisian salons. When he was commissioned to illustrate Théophile Gautier's novel Fortunio as heartily as possible, he signed under the pseudonym Paul Avril , which he then used for most of his works. He quickly made a name for himself and was constantly receiving orders to illustrate the classics and the gallant literature of his time. These editions were sold in bibliophilically designed small editions on a subscription basis to a middle-class audience that did not ask for price. His painted templates were often etched by his brother Paul-Victor Avril , which occasionally leads to confusion.

Works

Paul Avril has Gustave Flaubert's Salammbô , Théophile Gautiers Le Roi Caundale , John Clelands Fanny Hill , Jean-Baptiste Louvet de Couvray's Adventures des Chevalier de Faublas , Mario Uchard's Mon Uncle Barbassou (reflections on love in the harem ), Jules Michelet's The Woman , Hector Frances Musk, Hashish and Blood , the Sonetti lussuriosi of Pietro Aretino and the lesbian novel Gamiani , who is said to have different fathers , illustrated. The drawings for De Figuris Veneris by the German scholar Friedrich Karl Forberg are considered to be his main work . Of Avril's youth-free works, the illustrations for some of Octave Uzanne's books should also be mentioned , including his reflections on the women's glove and the muff .

Illustrations for Fanny Hill (selection)

First published in: John Cleland : Mémoirs de Fanny Hill . Entièrement traduits de l'Anglais par Isidore Liseux . Réimpression textuelle de l'edition de Paris, 1887. Paris: 1906 ( Charles Hirsch )

Polly Philips and the young Italian
Fanny emboldens William
Fanny whips Mr. Barville
The ceremonial of Fanny's initiation

Illustrations for De Figuris Veneris (selection)

First published in: Friedrich Karl Forberg : De Figuris Veneris. Manuel d'érotologie classique Traduit littéralement du latin by Isidore Liseux . Designs by Paul Avril engraved by Théophile Fillon. Paris: Charles Hirsch 1906.

Title page
Socrates and Alcibiades
love threesome
Sappho
Greek shepherd associates with a goat
Hadrian and Antinous
Boy and girl

Web links

Commons : Édouard-Henri Avril - Album with pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

↑ Not to be confused with his older brother Paul-Victor Avril (1843–1904), who also worked as an illustrator, see authority data entry GND 134138791 .

personal data
SURNAME	Avril, Edouard-Henri
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Avril, Paul (pseudonym)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	French painter and printmaker
DATE OF BIRTH	May 21, 1849
PLACE OF BIRTH	Algiers
DATE OF DEATH	1928
Place of death	Le Raincy

[1] Not to be confused with his older brother Paul-Victor Avril (1843–1904), who also worked as an illustrator, see authority data entry GND 134138791 .