artist: Maurice Blanchard (French 1903-1969)
medium: mixed media on paper
dimensions: 32 x 23 cm art size / 46 1/2 x 37 1/2 cm frame size (approx)
signed
circa 1940s/50s
presented in its original frame with new non-reflective UV glass
AU $680 (approx US $475 / 465 EUROS / 63,500 yen / 390 GBP - for exact current conversion visit xe.com)
artist biography
Maurice Blanchard was a French painter born in Paris in 1903.
Blanchard had two distinct periods in his career as an artist. The first he worked in a style influenced by Les Nabis, and then after the Second World War, a naive and very colourful style for which he is best known. Up until 1947, he lived 58, rue Caulaincourt, then he moved to 13, Place du Tertre with his third wife Ginette Mussel, where he lived until his death in 1969. In 1943, Blanchard was part of the group la Chignolle formed by artist Gen Paul. In 1946, at the Société Art et Humour, he collaborated with playwright François Billetdoux. It was around this time that be began to exhibit outside France, particularly showing in galleries around Sweden. In 1949, he participated in the exhibition organised by Serge, the historian of the circus, in Aquarius of Montmartre, 69 rue Caulaincourt, with Boyer painters Raoul Dufy, Gen Paul, Clavé and Esparbès. At the same address the Alexander Gallery opened in 1953 with Picasso, Gen Paul, Naly, Brayer and Esparbès. In 1963 and 1964 he exhibited at the ‘Salon de Toile’, a salon started by Pierre Labric in the 1920s. Blanchard created a series painted plates, some were offered to the winners of each stage of the Tour de France in 1965. Again, he participated in ‘Salon de Toile’, this time at the Moulin Rouge in 1966, then in the 16e Salon de Toile, at Andre Roussard in 1968.
Blanchard passed away in 1969. There was a retrospective exhibition at the Museum Montmartre from 15 October, 1983 to 31 January, 1984 with a catalogue produced, with a text by Jean Cathelin and biography by Marielle Oberthür, published by A. Roussard editions.