Blanchard, Antoine (1910 - 1988)
Port St. Denis in Winter
Stock code: C2616


Oil on Canvas
Signed
18 x 24 inches
Price category: C: £10,000 - £15,000
Blanchard, Antoine: Port St. Denis in Winter

Biography

Antoine Blanchard was born in a village near Blois on the banks of the River Loire in 1910.  His father had an important joinery business and was well known in the area. Perhaps it was through watching his father carving wood and producing fine craftsmanship that the artistic spirit was kindled in the young Blanchard.  Soon his parents were actively encouraging Antoine by sending him to Blois for drawing lessons.  They realised that this would only give him the rudiments and to achieve a successful artistic career he would need expert guidance.  For this reason  he was sent to Rennes to attend classes at the School of Beaux Arts.

He studied for three years and developed a remarkable drawing skill, which was to prove invaluable in later life. Sadly, Antoine Blanchard's artistic hopes were put aside when he had to take over the family joinery business left to him by his father.  He painted occasionally for pleasure, but had to refuse many important commissions from art dealers as business pressures were so great. He eventually retired from business and moved to Paris, where he lived until his death. Antoine Blanchard took no interest in the aspects of modern life and always depicted the elegance of life in Paris in the early 1900s.

His paintings not only show the glory of Paris and its monuments, but reveal a period full of grace and charm. He had no desire to exhibit his work at any of the public exhibitions in France, but in spite of this he has become increasingly well known for his interpretation of Parisian scenes. His technique, combined with the sensitivity of his brushwork, appeals to many collectors and examples of his paintings can be found in private collections in France, Great Britain, Germany, the United States and Canada.