BALLET DANCERS ~ ANDRE LOUIS MAXIME HUMBERT

Code: H150

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Andre Humbert was born on 27th of November 1879 in Paris.

He specialised in painting genre scenes; works of dancers, the circus, the theatre, and the opera. After studying under Leon Bonnat, he continued to flourish in the rich environment of Parisian artistic life and regularly exhibited at the Salon des Artistes Francais.

In 1901 he was awarded a Medaille de Troisieme Classe, a Medaille de Dieuxieme Classe in 1904 and a travel scholarship in 1907.

Humbert painted symbolist subjects typical of ‘La Belle Epoque’ -the French expression highlighting the decadence, exuberance and frivolity that epitomised the heady era before the outbreak of World War I.

His beautiful maidens standing pensively in the forest were subjects of immense popularity at the turn of the 20th century.

Many of the works by Belle Époque artists are characterised by light colours, quick brushstrokes and a vibrant, optimistic subject matter, like the present ‘ballet dancers’ .

Notable Belle Époque artists include Jean Béraud, Paul César Helleu, James Whistler, Jacques Emile Blanche, John Singer Sargent, Giovanni Boldini and Henri Gervex.

Museums: Musee Perigeux,’ La Lapidation de Saint Etienne’

Dict:Benezit