Pair of French 1920's Humorous Watercolours by F. Bac
£2,950.00
A Humorous and decorative pair of watercolours depicting French scenes from the 'Night before' & 'The morning after'.
In original frames and mounts with Paris labels on the reverse.
Dimensions: Framed Size
H 24" x W 19"
H 61cm x W 48cm
Biography: Ferdinand Bac 1859-1952, a small cousin of Napoleon III, was raised on the sidelines of the court of the Second Empire. A few years after the collapse of the regime, he chose to leave Germany and his mother to live in Paris studious existence, yet bohemian. Introduced to the world by Arsene Houssaye and Prince Napoleon, he became an artist of fashion. He is the author of many literary and artistic works that brilliantly illustrates his hand.
He attended Adolphe Thiers, Gambetta, Richard Wagner, Victor Hugo, Taine, Villiers de L'Isle-Adam, Paul Verlaine, Maurice Barres, Barbey d'Aurevilly, Alphonse Daudet, Guy de Maupassant, Verdi, Gounod, Stone Nolhac etc. .
Bac emerged as one of the first cartoonists and caricaturists of his time, as famous as Albert Robida, Job, Shem, Jean-Louis Forain and Caran d'Ache.
He lived in the heart of troubled Europe in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century where he occupied a position of intermediary between the German and French traditions. Bac Witnessed the Battle of Sadowa in 1866, training in Germany at Versailles in 1870, fleeing the German army in 1914 and forced into exile in 1940, he saw some of his work go up in smoke in 1944 again became a public figure courted Liberation.
At 60, Ferdinand moved into a prestigious mansion Menton, "The Colombières" belonging to a friend, Emile Ladan-Bockairy. He would come across Marcel Proust, Jean Cocteau, Gabriele D'Annunzio and Anna de Noailles.
Until the end of his life, Ferdinand Bac continued to travel, write, draw, reflecting on the political and historical development of the world. At nearly 80, he still worked three hours a day.
His mind still sharp, allowing it to draw and comment on books sent to him. Yet a worrier, he applied very early to leave some of his work at numerous museums and libraries (Bibliothèque de l'Arsenal in Paris, Public Library in Menton, Nice CESSOLE Library). Each document is annotated in his own hand and fully archived.
Awarded the Legion of Honor in 1913, recognized by the French Academy, he died at age 93, November 17, 1952, at Compiegne, four days after the death of his friend Émile-Bockairy Ladan.
He is the author of many literary and artistic works.