Paul Albert Laurens (18 January 1870 - 27 September 1934) was a French painter.

Biography

Laurens was the eldest son of painter

Jean-Paul Laurens Jean-Paul Laurens (; 28 March 1838 – 23 March 1921) was a French painter and sculptor, and one of the last major exponents of the French Academic style. Biography Laurens was born in Fourquevaux and was a pupil of Léon Cogniet and Alexa ...

(1838-1921), who was of humble origins, and his wife, Madeleine Willemsens (1848-1913). Laurens was born in Rue Taranne, off the Boulevard Saint-Germain in Paris, to where his parents had moved. Aware of the Franco-Prussian War of 1870, his father quickly moved his family back to the relative safety his native village,

Fourquevaux Fourquevaux (; oc, Forcasvals) is a commune in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern France. Population Sights The Château de Fourquevaux is a 15th- and 16th-century castle. With its 18th-century orangery, it has been listed since 19 ...

in the

Haute-Garonne Haute-Garonne (; oc, Nauta Garona, ; en, Upper Garonne) is a department in the Occitanie region of Southwestern France. Named after the river Garonne, which flows through the department. Its prefecture and main city is Toulouse, the country' ...

department in southwestern France. The family home may still be found in the village today, near the church. Laurens' younger brother,

Jean-Pierre Laurens Jean-Pierre Laurens (18 March 1875, Paris23 April 1932, Fontenay-aux-Roses) was a French painter; primarily of figures and portraits. Biography He was the youngest son of the painter, Jean-Paul Laurens. His older brother, Paul Albert Laurens ...

(1875-1932), was also a painter. Laurens attended school on Rue d'Assas where he met, among others,

André Gide André Paul Guillaume Gide (; 22 November 1869 – 19 February 1951) was a French author and winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature (in 1947). Gide's career ranged from its beginnings in the symbolist movement, to the advent of anticolonialism ...

and it was with Gide that he made his first trip to

Biskra Biskra ( ar, بسكرة ; ; Latin Vescera) is the capital city of Biskra Province, Algeria. In 2007, its population was recorded as 307,987. Biskra is located in northeastern Algeria, about 248 miles (400 km) from Algiers, 71 miles (115&n ...

Algeria ) , image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Algiers , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , relig ...

in 1894. Meanwhile, in 1890 the Académie Julian founded new workshops at 31 Rue du Dragon and Laurens and his brother were taught there alongside

Paul Landowski Paul Maximilien Landowski (1 June 1875 – 31 March 1961) was a French monument sculptor of Polish descent. His best-known work is '' Christ the Redeemer'' in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Biography Landowski was born in Paris, France, of a Polish re ...

and

Henri Bouchard Henri Bouchard (13 December 1875 – 30 November 1960), was a French sculptor. His work was part of the sculpture event in the art competition at the 1924 Summer Olympics. Biography The son of a carpenter, Bouchard was born in Dijon. He w ...

On 18 October 1893 Laurens sailed from

Marseille Marseille ( , , ; also spelled in English as Marseilles; oc, Marselha ) is the prefecture of the French department of Bouches-du-Rhône and capital of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Situated in the camargue region of southern Fra ...

with his friend Gide bound for

Tunis ''Tounsi'' french: Tunisois , population_note = , population_urban = , population_metro = 2658816 , population_density_km2 = , timezone1 = CET , utc_offset1 ...

, and from there on to Sousse. In January 1894 Laurens and Gide settled in Biskra, in the former home of the

White Fathers , image = Cardinal Lavigerie.jpg , caption = Charles Lavigerie , abbreviation = M.Afr. , nickname = White Fathers , formation = , founder = Archbishop Charles-Martial Allem ...

(Missionaries of Africa). Madame Gide, concerned about the health of her son, also joined them. Laurens married Bertha Guerin in 1900 and moved with her to 126

Boulevard du Montparnasse The Boulevard du Montparnasse is a two-way boulevard in Montparnasse, in the 6th, 14th and 15th arrondissements in Paris. Situation The boulevard joins the place Léon Paul Fargue and place Camille Jullian. The Tour Montparnasse and plac ...

, in the same building as the painter

Émile-René Ménard Émile-René Ménard (15 April 1862, in Paris – 13 January 1930, in Paris) was a French painter. From early childhood he was immersed in an artistic environment: Corot, Millet and the Barbizon painters frequented his family home, familiarizi ...

. Around 1912, with his father and a student of his, Ulysses Ravaut, Laurens worked to decorate the Capitole at the request of the municipality of

Toulouse Toulouse ( , ; oc, Tolosa ) is the prefecture of the French department of Haute-Garonne and of the larger region of Occitania. The city is on the banks of the River Garonne, from the Mediterranean Sea, from the Atlantic Ocean and from Pa ...

. During the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, he worked with other artists including Dunoyer de Segonzac,

Forain Jean-Louis Forain (23 October 1852 – 11 July 1931) was a French Impressionist painter and printmaker, working in media including oils, watercolour, pastel, etching and lithograph. Compared to many of his Impressionist colleagues, he was mor ...

, Georges Paul Leroux (brother of

Auguste Leroux Jules Marie Auguste Leroux (14 April 1871 – 26 March 1954) was a French painter and illustrator. Biography Jules Marie Auguste Leroux was born in the 3rd arrondissement of Paris on 14 April 1871, during the Commune. His father, Gustav Ferdi ...

), Abel Truchet, Henri Callot, Avy and

Devambez Maison Devambez is the name of a fine printer's firm in Paris. It operated under that name from 1873, when a printing business established by the royal engraver Hippolyte Brasseux in 1826 was acquired by Édouard Devambez. At first the firm spe ...

on camouflage within the armed forces and their work served as a model for the Allied armies.

Academic career

Laurens was Professor of Drawing at the

École Polytechnique École may refer to: * an elementary school in the French educational stages normally followed by secondary education establishments (collège and lycée) * École (river), a tributary of the Seine flowing in région Île-de-France * École, Savoi ...

between 1919 and 1934. was appointed member of the French Academy of Fine Arts in 1933. Among his students were ,

Jean Bertholle Jean Bertholle (26 June 1909, Dijon Dijon (, , ) (dated) * it, Digione * la, Diviō or * lmo, Digion is the prefecture of the Côte-d'Or department and of the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in northeastern France. the commune ...

, Yvonne Kleiss-Herzig, René Marie Castaing, Robert Lepeltier, Raoul Dastrac, Albert Demarest, Monique Cras,

Lucien Simon Lucien Joseph Simon (1861 – 1945) was a French painter and teacher born in Paris. Early life and education Simon was born in Paris. After graduating from the Lycée Louis-le-Grand, he studied painting at the studio of Jules Didier, then from ...

, Yvon Dieulafé, Roger Marius Debat, Lucien-Victor Delpy, Achener Maurice, Jean Jules Louis Cavaillès, Lucienne Capdevielle, André Leroux,

Nicolas Untersteller Nicolas Untersteller (1900–1967) was a French painter. Early life He was born in Stiring-Wendel, Lorraine, during the first German annexation. After studies at the School of Decorative Arts in Strasbourg from 1921 to 1923, he joined the Ec ...

Feyhaman Duran Feyhaman Duran (Sept. 17, 1886 – May 6, 1970) was a Turkish artist. Biography He was born in Istanbul in 1886. After graduating from Galatasaray High School, he was sent to Paris by Halim Paşa to study painting. He became a student of Jean- ...

Fang Ganmin Fang Ganmin (; 15 February 1906 - January 1984) was a Chinese French-trained painter, sculptor and educator, who was educated in Paris and spent most of his adult life in China. Regarded as one of the fathers of Chinese oil painting, Fang was bo ...

, Pierre Langlade and Dominique Frassati.

Selected works

Paintings

''Triomphe de Clémence Isaure'' Capitole de Toulouse *1893: ''Les Saintes Femmes''(oil on canvas), Salon No. 1052 *1894: ''Rue a Tunis'', (oil on board), 27 cm x 35 cm *1895: ''St. Paul'' (oil on canvas), Altar of the parish church of Saint-Germier,

*c. 1895: ''Joueur de Tambour sur un Chameau'' (oil on canvas) *c. 1895: ''La Maison du Baron d'Erlanger, Sidi Bou Saïd'' (oil on card), 19 cm x 24 cm *1896: ''La Dignitaure'' (oil on canvas), 46.5 cm x 35 cm *1897: ''La robe noire au col de dentelle'' (oil on canvas), 61 cm x 49 cm *1899: ''Vénus accueillie par les heures'' (oil on canvas) not dated: * ''Scène d'intérieur'' (oil on board), 35.5 cm x 26.4 cm * ''Scene Galante in Pierrot'' (oil on card) 32.8 cm x 40.7 cm * ''Fantasie'' (oil on canvas) * ''Dans le Jardin de l'Amour'' (oil on canvas), 85.1 cm x 62.2 cm * ''Femme nue et ses chiens'' (oil on canvas) * ''Jeune femme assise au châle et aux orchidées'' (oil on canvas), 100 cm x 86 cm * ''Jeune femme au bouquet de roses'' (oil on canvas), 46 cm x 38 cm * ''Jeune femme à la Cascade'' (oil on canvas), 38 cm x 45 cm * ''Bouquet de fleurs'' (oil on canvas), 35.5 cm x 26.3 cm * ''Bouquet au pichet d'étain'' (oil on canvas), 27 cm x 22 cm * ''Rose thé dans un verre'' oil on card), 27 cm x 21 cm * ''Personnages de la Comédia dell'Arte'' (oil on canvas), 31 cm x 56 cm * ''Paris'' (oil on board), 34.5 cm x 30.5 cm * ''Pierrot attablé'' (oil on canvas), 33 cm x 46 cm * ''Pierrot sous la Tonnelle'' (oil on canvas), 61 cm x 50 cm * ''Colombine et Pierrot'' (oil on card), 40 cm x 33 cm * ''Amoureux au clair de Lune'' (oil on canvas), 54 cm x 46 cm * ''Danseuses'' (oil on paper, card), 39.5 cm x 49.5 cm * ''Une élégante au bord de la rivière'' (oil on canvas), 61 cm x 50.8 cm * ''Après la Baignade'' (oil on canvas), 46 cm x 55 cm * ''Conversation au crépuscule'' (oil on canvas), 55 cm x 46 cm * ''Les Caravaniers'' (oil on canvas), 61 cm x 60 cm * ''Dame élégante dans un parc'' (oil on card), 35.6 cm x 25.4 cm * ''Scène symboliste'' (oil on canvas), 53 cm x 2.60m * ''Terrasse en Provence'' (oil on canvas), 56 cm x 46 cm * ''Terrasse dans le Midi'' (oil on canvas), 55 cm x 46 cm * ''Tête de jeune fille'' (oil on canvas), 46 cm x 38 cm *1900: ''Solitude'', 86 cm x 146.5 cm, Salon n°763, Musée de Brou à Bourg-en-Bresse *1900: ''Portrait de Jean-Paul Laurens'', the artist's father, 61 cm x 50 cm,

Musée du Louvre The Louvre ( ), or the Louvre Museum ( ), is the world's most-visited museum, and an historic landmark in Paris, France. It is the home of some of the best-known works of art, including the ''Mona Lisa'' and the ''Venus de Milo''. A central l ...

, acquired by the state for

Luxembourg Luxembourg ( ; lb, Lëtzebuerg ; french: link=no, Luxembourg; german: link=no, Luxemburg), officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, ; french: link=no, Grand-Duché de Luxembourg ; german: link=no, Großherzogtum Luxemburg is a small lan ...

in 1902 *1910: ''Didon'' (oil on canvas) *c. 1911: ''Le Salon Jaune'' (oil on canvas), 55 cm x 46 cm, Musée de Laval *1911: ''La Dame en Bleu'' (oil on canvas), exhibited at the Salon of 1911 *''Elégante au châle bleu'' (oil on canvas), 54 cm x 45 cm *''Le Châle Vert'' (oil on canvas), 55 cm x 45 cm *''La Danseuse'' (oil on canvas), 72 cm x 48 cm *''Jeune femme à la robe longue devant un escalier'', card, 45 cm x 37 cm *''La Crique de l'Apothicaire'' (oil on canvas), 51 cm x 61 cm *1912: ''Suzanne'' (oil on canvas), exhibited at the Salon *c. 1912: ''Triomphe de Clémence Isaure'', oil on ceiling of the grand staircase at the

Capitole de Toulouse 300px, The Capitole back side The Capitole de Toulouse ( oc, Capitòli de Tolosa, link=no; ), commonly known as the ''Capitole'', is the heart of the municipal administration of the French city of Toulouse and its city hall. __NOTOC__ His ...

(Mayor of Toulouse) *c. 1912: ''La Poésie'', oil at the Capitole de Toulouse *c. 1912: ''La Musique'', oil at the Capitole de Toulouse *c. 1912: ''Jeune musicien et Danseuse'', fragment of a decorative panel for Toulouse Town Hall and exhibited at the Salon of 1913 *1913: ''Les Soupirants'' (oil on canvas), exhibited at the Salon of 1913 *1914: ''Divertissement dans un parc'' (oil on canvas), 39 cm x 46 cm, exhibited at the Salon of 1914 *1920: ''Travest'' (oil on canvas), 92 cm X 60 cm, Musée du Petit-Palais in Paris *''Portrait d'Émile Picard (1856-1941)'' (oil on canvas), Member of the French Academy of Sciences *1923: ''Portrait de Famille'' (oil on canvas), the artist and his family, 1.65 m x 1.84 m, donated by the artist to

in 1931 *1924: ''André Gide'' (oil on canvas), 61 cm x 50 cm, writer (1869-1951), acquired by the state for

in 1928 *c. 1925: ''La Robe d'Argen'' (oil on canvas), 73 cm x 50 cm, acquired by the state *c. 1929: ''Portrait de Jacques Copeau (1879-1949)'', writer and actor, 84 cm x 29 cm, Musée des Beaux-Arts

Dijon Dijon (, , ) (dated) * it, Digione * la, Diviō or * lmo, Digion is the prefecture of the Côte-d'Or department and of the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in northeastern France. the commune had a population of 156,920. The earlies ...

Drawings, Watercolours, Lithographs

*c. 1895: ''Portrait of Andre Gide’’, Gide in his youth, the mustachioed romantic pose (etching) 44 cm x 30 cm *c. 1900: ''Le Duc d'Albe demande l'absolution au Pape Paul IV'' (watercolour), 30 cm x 18 cm, preparatory to photoengraving published by Goupil 1900. *c. 1900: ''Arrestation de Don Carlos par son père Philippe II d'Espagne'' (watercolour), 30 cm x 18 cm *c. 1900: ''Un Roi de Navarre devant la présentation des couleurs'' (watercolour), 30 cm x 17 cm *c. 1900: ''Louis XIV découvre le portrait de Mme de Lavallière chez le Surintendant Fouquet'' (watercolor), 30 cm x 17 cm *(not dated): ''Portrait d’Andre Gide de profil'' (drawing, watercolour, ink on paper), 22 cm x 17 cm *(not dated): ''La Ronde'' (drawing, watercolour, charcoal), 40 cm x 48 cm *c. 1900: ''Réception d'Elisabeth de Valois par Philippe II d'Espagne'', (watercolour), 30cm x 17cm *c. 1900: ''Don Juan reconnu par Philippe II d'Espagne'', (watercolour), 30 cm x 17 cm *c. 1900: ''Un roi de France sur un champ de bataille'' (watercolour), 17.5 cm x 30 cm *1903: ''Papillons'' (pastel) *1924: ''Portrait de André Gide'' *1930: ''Avion survolant Marseil'', design for a postage stamp, engraver Abel Mignon, face value 1f 50. blue *1932: ''La Paix'', Allegory of the Republic, Phrygian cap and holding an olive branch (symbolizing peace), in her left hand, right hand on the hilt of her sword in its scabbard. At the request of André Tardieu, Chairman of the Board at the Post Office. Printing by Antonin Delzers.

Posters

*(not dated): ’’Ramses’’, 91.5 cm x 53 cm, *1926: Theatre de la Gaite: ‘’Wounded Spaniards’’ *(not dated): ‘’Blessed Spanish” 82 cm x 60 cm

Illustrations

*1898: ''Lêda ou la louange des bienheureuses ténèbres'' by Pierre Louÿs, Paris, Editions of the Mercure de France, with ten colour drawings by Laurens, five large ornate initials and vignettes at the end of five chapters *1900: ''Thaïs d'Anatole France'' ed. by A. Ramagnol, compositions by Laurens, engraving and etching by Léon Boisson *1904: ''La Morte amoureuse'' Paris Romagnol, illustrations by Laurens in three states *(not dated): ''Les Romanesques de Edmond Rostand'', Paris Libr.,

Pierre Lafitte Pierre Lafitte (1770–1821) was a pirate in the Gulf of Mexico and smuggler in the early 19th century. He also ran a blacksmith shop in New Orleans, his legitimate business. Pierre was historically less well known than his younger brother, Jea ...

& Co, "Complete Works Illustrated", 100pp. in four books, adorned with a frontispiece and partially illustrated in colour, integrated with the text, Avy JM, Chabas Paul and Paul Albert Laurens, binding editor half brown leather, gilt title. *1910: ''Cyrano de Bergerac'' by Edmond Rostand, ed. Pierre Lafitte, illustrators: François Flaming, Albert Besnard, Auguste, F. Gorguet and Paul Albert Laurens. *1914: ''Les Caves du Vatican'' by

, Paris, NRF, 1914, two volumes 8vo, half morocco with caramel corners, top edge gilt, decorated with a portrait of the author as a frontispiece to the soft ground by Paul Albert Laurens, Edition 550 *1924: ''Thaïs by Anatole'' France 16 original etchings by Laurens for an edition of Thais

Exhibitions

*1893: Salon des artistes français, ''Les Saintes Femmes'' *1897: Salon Champs Élysées, ''Glauké et Thaleia'' *1899: Salon des artistes français, ''Vénus accueillie par les heures'', No.1136, Palais des Champs-Elysées. *1900: Salon des artistes français, ''Solitude'', Place de Breteuil, in Paris *1902: Salon de la Nationale des Beaux-Arts de Paris, No.698, ''Portrait de J. P. Laurens'' *1910 - Salon des artistes français, ''Didon'' *1911: Salon des artistes français, ''La Dame en Bleu'' *1912: Salon des artistes français, ''Suzanne'' *1913: Salon des artistes français, ''Jeune musicien et danseuse'', and ''Les Soupirants'' *1914: Salon des artistes français, ''Divertissement dans un parc'' *1924: Exhibition in

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

, as part of a group including: Charles Hoffbauer, Emile Aubry,

Henri Dabadie Henri Célestin Louis Dabadie (1 December 1867, Pau - 19 October 1949, Saint-Mandé) was a French landscape and Orientalist painter. Biography He was a student of Jules-Élie Delaunay and Henri Michel-Lévy. After completing his studies, he d ...

André Devambez André Victor Édouard Devambez (26 May 1867 – 18 March 1944) was a French painter and illustrator. best-known his whimsical illustrations of children's books and his dramatic paintings of Paris scenes and of early airplanes from a viewpoint hig ...

, Louis Jourdan, Georges Paul Leroux,

et al. *1929: Salon des artistes français, ''Portrait de Jacques Copeau (1879-1949), homme de lettre et comédien'', No.1342 in the catalogue

Honours and awards

*1899: Member of the Society of French Artists *1933: Member of the (Academy of Fine Arts)

Museums exhibiting his works

* Museum Petit Palais in Paris *

Musée du Luxembourg The Musée du Luxembourg () is a museum at 19 rue de Vaugirard in the 6th arrondissement of Paris. Established in 1750, it was initially an art museum located in the east wing of the Luxembourg Palace (the matching west wing housed the Marie de' ...

in Paris *Museum of Brou in

Bourg-en-Bresse Bourg-en-Bresse (; frp, Bôrg) is the prefecture of the Ain department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in Eastern France. Located northeast of Lyon, it is the capital of the ancient province of Bresse ( frp, Brêsse, links=no). In 2018, ...

, Department of Painting * Musée d'Orsay in Paris *

Musée des Beaux-Arts de Dijon The Musée des Beaux-Arts de Dijon is a museum of fine arts opened in 1787 in Dijon, France. It is one of the main and oldest museums of France. It is located in the historic city centre of Dijon and housed in the former ducal palace which was ...

*Museum of the Old Castle in Laval *

Notes and references

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Laurens, Paul Albert 1870 births 1934 deaths 19th-century French painters French male painters 20th-century French painters 20th-century French male artists Painters from Paris Members of the Académie des beaux-arts People from Biskra Grandes écoles Académie Julian alumni Académie Julian faculty 19th-century French male artists