Spring Exceptionelle
Lot 193:
Description
Keywords: French artist, limited edition, Arches paper, 20th century print, Parisian nightlife, Fauvism, abstract expressionism, numbered lithograph, French cabaret art, post-war art
Summary:
Gen Paul (1895–1975), Rare Edith Piaf and Moulin Rouge Large limited edition lithograph on Arches paper, hand signed and numbered 5/150. A vibrant, abstracted tribute to the energy of Parisian nightlife, with references to French icons Piaf and the Moulin Rouge.
Bio:
Eugène “Gen” Paul was a French Expressionist painter and engraver associated with the Montmartre artistic circle in Paris. Born in the working-class neighborhood of Montmartre, he lost a leg during World War I but returned to painting with dynamic energy, developing a highly personal style marked by bold brushwork, vigorous movement, and emotional intensity.
Influenced early on by artists such as Toulouse-Lautrec, Raoul Dufy, and the German Expressionists, Gen Paul became known for his spirited street scenes of Paris, musicians, dancers, and racing horses. His compositions capture motion and rhythm rather than precise detail, often using slashing, angular strokes and vivid color. In the 1920s and 1930s, he exhibited alongside notable artists at the Salon d’Automne and the Salon des Indépendants.
Despite personal struggles with health and alcohol, he continued to paint throughout his life, producing lithographs, oils, and watercolors. His work embodies the post-war spirit of Paris—vibrant, restless, and emotionally charged—and today he is regarded as one of the significant figures of the School of Paris and the Expressionist movement.
Measurement: Inside mat: 21 1/2 x 27 1/2 in. (54.6 x 69.9 cm.), Frame: 27 x 33 in. (68.6 x 83.8 cm.) approx
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