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Pierre Charbonnier
Pierre Charbonnier, The Factory near the River, gouache on cardboard

About the Item

Pierre Charbonnier (1897-1978) The Factory near the River Gouache on cardboard 25,5 x 19,6 inch Frame : 50 x 70 cm Born in 1897 in Vienne (Isère), Pierre Charbonnier was predestined for an artistic career from an early age. He received his first training at the School of Fine Arts in Lyon in 1915 before moving to Paris where he joined the Académie Ranson. He presented his first paintings at the Salon des Indépendants, the Salon des Tuileries and the Salon d'Automne in the early 1920s. He also exhibited in galleries in France (Henriette Gomès Gallery, Albert Loeb Gallery) and abroad (Italy, Japan, Brazil, Luxembourg). Active in the film industry, he also distinguished himself as a decorator, notably for the filmmaker Robert Bresson from 1934 to 1970, but also as a director. The theme of water is very present in the work of Pierre Charbonnier, who grew up on the banks of the Rhône (ill.1). The artist often situates his landscapes and other urban views, without which it would be difficult to identify the places in question (Drôme, Sète, Lyon, Barcelona etc.)(ill.2). Living between Paris and the Drôme region, Pierre Charbonnier paints many uncluttered urban views with a constant concern for framing, reflecting a sensitive eye for photographic and cinematographic shots. These sometimes reveal the frame of a window (ill.3) opening onto a large perspective. His compositions are often highly geometric, featuring urban elements in a static atmosphere. They are punctuated by large lines, sometimes horizontal, sometimes vertical, creating large voids. In the aftermath of the Second World War, his paintings illustrate in a falsely naïve way the invasion of urban space by concrete constructions, over which he casts an angelic gaze. As the gouache on this site shows, the artist depicts the modern city in the throes of transformation, a city of factories and buildings incorporating metal infrastructures, long chimneys and technical materials, such as the Centre Pompidou inaugurated in 1977 (ill.4). Mostly inanimate, Pierre Charbonnier's landscapes of pure, intense color express the poetry of the modern post-war world. This refinement is also reflected in the artist's keen interest in poetry, which he shares with friends such as Max Jacob, Tristan Tzara, René Char, Jacques Prévert and Blaise Cendrars.
  • Creator:
    Pierre Charbonnier (1897 - 1978, French)
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 25.6 in (65 cm)Width: 19.69 in (50 cm)
  • More Editions & Sizes:
    Original workPrice: $2,003
  • Medium:
  • Movement & Style:
  • Period:
  • Condition:
    Gouache chips and tiny cracks visible on photos.
  • Gallery Location:
    PARIS, FR
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU2661214359642
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