Henri Moreau (1869-1943)
| Artist Name | Henri Moreau (1869-1943) |
|---|---|
| Title | Ballerinas Putting on their Shoes |
| Description | This lovely Belgian Impressionist figurative oil painting is by noted artist Henri Moreau. Although Belgian by birth, Moreau spent many years in France, moving to Paris in 1920 and one can see the influence of the French Impressionists in his work. In this painting, painted circa 1920, two young ballerinas are putting on their ballet shoes, one seated, one standing. Their tutus are a mass of froth around them. There is a table with two lovely gleaming red bowls and a vivid green bottle. In the mirror above we can see one ballerina reflected. There are such rich and vivid tones and the brushwork is just superb. Ballerina paintings are always popular but this is a particularly fine one and an excellent example of Moreau's work. Signed lower left. |
| Provenance | Surrey estate. |
| Medium | Oil on Canvas |
| Size | 40 x 32 inches |
| Frame | Housed in an ornate Bourlet silvered frame, 47 inches by 39 inches, in good condition. |
| Condition | Good condition. |
| Biography | Henri Moreau (1869-1943) was Belgian by birth and by artistic practice. He exhibited in his homeland frequently, including the Brussels International Exhibition of 1910. Moreau moved to Paris in the 1920s, and therefore it is likely he derived inspiration from the fashionable, fantastical world that surrounded him. As well as portraits and figurative works, Moreau also executed a number of still life paintings and landscapes. Still life had grown increasingly popular throughout the second half of the 19th-Century, and by the time he was painting in the early 20th-Century was a respected subject in its own right. His landscapes suggest an interest in, and perhaps travel to, America. Moreau also acted as a painting tutor to his son, Max-Léon Moreau (1902-1992). Moreau the younger became a prominent society portrait painter during his lifetime, and his home in Spain is now a museum filled with his works. There are certain similarities in style and execution to his father’s work, demonstrative of the lessons of the elder. Indeed, Max-Léon Moreau apparently expressed a ‘deep admiration’ for his father and his teachings, often watching him work as a young boy. The younger Moreau also accompanied the older on trips to Belgian theatres, perhaps to garner inspiration from the trendy, fashionable theatregoers and the lavish displays of the sets. |
| Price | £12000 |
