Maurice Brianchon Figurative Paintings

Maurice Brianchon, French, 1899-1979 Roses Jaunes Signed Brianchon; inscribed Brianchon on the reverse Oil on canvas 24 x 15 inches (61 x 38.1 cm) Frame: 32 x 22 3/4 inches Provenance: David B. Findlay Galleries, New York Brianchon studied in Bordeaux at the École des Beaux-Arts under Paul Quinsac, a sculptor; in 1917 he moved to Paris and entered the École des Beaux Arts Decoratifs where he trained under Eugène Morand. He first exhibited at the Salon d'Automne in 1920 and by 1922 was a committee member of the same Salon. In 1924 he won the Prix Blumenthal and a travel scholarship that he used to tour Spain. In 1939 he was awarded the Carnegie Prize. Brianchon executed murals for the Conservatoire de Musique et d'Art Dramatique de Paris, the Lycée Janson-de-Sailly and the Palais de Chaillot, tapestry designs for the Aubusson and Gobelins ateliers, and book illustrations including Andre Gide's 'Theatre Complet.' He also was an accomplished stage designer, working on costumes and sets for Fausses Confidences and La Seconde Surprise de l'Amour' by Marivaux. He became well known for his theater and ballet decors for the Paris Opera, as well as his intimate depictions of Parisian society, parks and gardens. He was appointed member of the selective Committee of the Salon d’Automne, and in 1934, represented France at the Venice Biennale, winning the coveted Carnegie Prize. In 1946, he was awarded the prestigious Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur, was given a solo exhibition at the Wildenstein Gallery in London and had a major retrospective at the Louvre in 1951. The following year, Brianchon was selected as one of the official artists of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in England. His application of saturated, unmodulated areas of contrasting colors accentuates forms that appear to flatten against the pictorial surface. Brianchon’s harmonious composition contains a temporal quality that resonates with viewers and heightens its contemplative nature. Brianchon was influenced by artists such as Pierre Bonnard and Edouard Vuillard. Brianchon however stylistically stayed wedded to an esthetic that looked back, and like Pablo Picasso at that time, could be called neoclassical. Mostly a painter, active alongside his wife Marguerite Louppe...