Gérard Cochet (13 October 1888, in

Avranches Avranches (; ) is a commune in the Manche department, and the region of Normandy, northwestern France. It is a subprefecture of the department. The inhabitants are called ''Avranchinais''. History Middle Ages By the end of the Roman period, th ...

– 8 January 1969, in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

) was a French illustrator. Born in Avranches, France, he attended the

Académie Julian The () was a private art school for painting and sculpture founded in Paris, France, in 1867 by French painter and teacher Rodolphe Julian (1839–1907). The school was active from 1868 through 1968. It remained famous for the number and qual ...

in 1909. After the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

he exhibited at the

Salon des Indépendants Salon may refer to: Common meanings * Beauty salon, a venue for cosmetic treatments * French term for a drawing room A drawing room is a room in a house where visitors may be entertained, and an alternative name for a living room. The name i ...

and the Salon d'Automne and was awarded the

Prix Blumenthal The Prix Blumenthal (or ''Blumenthal Prize'') was a grant or stipend awarded through the philanthropy of Florence Meyer Blumenthal (1875–1930) – and the foundation she created, ''Fondation franco-américaine Florence Blumenthal (Franco-Am ...

for engraving in 1924. He was chief of studio at the Academie Ranson from 1932 to 1935 and vice-president of the Jeune Gravure Contemporaine. He painted murals for the Palais de la Decouverte and designed scenery and costumes for the theatre. He also illustrated several books, including the ''Fables de La Fontaine'', Voltaire's ''Candide'', and Jules Laforgue's ''Les Moralites Legendaires''. His works are on show at the Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris as well as other French and foreign museums. In 1941, during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, with Maurice Dufrêne,

Pierre Gandon Pierre Gandon was a French illustrator and engraver of postage stamps. He was born on 20 January 1899 in L'Haÿ-les-Roses (Val-de-Marne) and died on 23 July 1990. Youth His father Gaston Gandon was also an engraver at the Institut de gravure of P ...

, Luigi Corbellini, and others Cochet was one of the few painters and sculptors who received the higher rate of 10,000

Francs The franc is any of various units of currency. One franc is typically divided into 100 centimes. The name is said to derive from the Latin inscription ''francorum rex'' ( King of the Franks) used on early French coins and until the 18th centur ...

from the City of Paris to compensate artists and intellectuals for loss of income.Laurence Bertrand Dorléac, ''Art of the Defeat: France 1940-1944'' (Getty Publications, 2008), p. 187 He died in his Paris home in 1969.

References

1888 births 1969 deaths French illustrators French marine artists Prix Blumenthal {{France-artist-stub