Auguste Brouet

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Self-portrait (around 1920)

Auguste Louis Brouet (* 1872 in Paris ; † November 9, 1941 there ) was a French etcher and engraver . Brouet is one of the most distinguished etchers of the early 20th century. He was particularly known for his romanticizing depiction of the Montmartr demi- world . In his work he processed influences from Rembrandt van Rijn , Edgar Degas and Félicien Rops .

life and work

About 20 different motifs were created during the First World War. Six of them, created between 1914 and 1915, were published in the folder Impressions de Guerre in a limited edition of 75 copies by Gaston Boutitie .

Born to poor parents, he initially worked as a lithographer and lute maker to provide financial support for the family. Nevertheless, if the economic conditions allowed, he visited the studio of the painter Gustave Moreau at the École des Beaux-Arts . Towards the end of the 19th century , the young Brouet made the acquaintance of the Parisian graphic artist Auguste Delâtre , from whom he was introduced to the art of etching. In 1910 his work was shown at the 9th Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte della Città di Venezia 1910 - La Biennale di Venezia .

He exhibited only sporadically and in 1922 and 1923 other important solo exhibitions took place. Also in 1923, Gustave Geffroy published a two-volume catalog raisonné of Brouet's work up to then, the Catalog de son oeuvre grave , which contained 270 entries.

While he was able to enjoy the high point of his career in the 1920s to 1930s and managed to open up a permanent group of collectors, he was forgotten after the Second World War - with one exception, an exhibition in the Drouant-David Gallery in 1946 . Nowadays its popularity is increasing, especially in the US and France.

Brouet looked for his motifs in the circles of the "little people", whom he found too sufficient in Montmartre. His pictorial palette ranges from the representation of prostitutes, dancers, brothel scenes, nudes, various small professions, landscape and war views - the latter were created during the First World War - to genre - or landscape depictions or circus scenes and acrobat pictures, which he also used His mother's manege in Neuilly .

Rembrandt's art set the tone for Brouet's work. So he appropriated the Clair-obscur from him and was inspired, especially in the genre scenes, by the style of the important Dutchman, whereas Edgar Degas can be recognized as a role model in the ballet performances. In some of Brouet's works, parallels to the symbolist Rops can be drawn, while in others different influences merge into a unique way of expression. He mainly worked in the technique of etching , drypoint , aquatint and copper engraving . One-offs such as paintings, drawings or pastels were rarely made. By 1938 Brouet had created around 400 graphic works. His studio was in Montmartre at 4, rue Camille Tahan .

  • Le ballet , ca.1920, aquatint, edition 250, private collection

Exhibitions

Illustrated books

Works in museums (selection)

literature

  • FL Leipnik: A History of French Etching. London 1924, pp. 169-170.
  • Janine Bailly Heizberg: Dictionnaire de L'Estampe en France 1830–1950. Paris, 1985, pp. 48-50.
  • André Roussard: Dictionnaire des peintres à Montmartre: Peintres, sculpteurs, graveurs, dessinateurs, illustrateurs, plasticiens aux 19e et 20e siècles.

Web links

Commons : Auguste Brouet  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Entry at artfacts.net
  2. ↑ Exhibition invitation online view (PDF file; 1.2 MB)
personal data
SURNAME Brouet, Auguste
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Brouet, Auguste Louis (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION French modernist graphic artist
DATE OF BIRTH 1872
PLACE OF BIRTH Paris
DATE OF DEATH November 9, 1941
Place of death Paris