Élégante

by Paul César Helleu

£35,000

DIMENSIONS: (unframed) 70.00 cms x 48.00 cms /27.56 ins x 18.90 ins x 0.0 ins
SIGNATURE: Signed lower left
MEDIUM: Crayon on paper

Referenced in the archives of the Amis de Paul-César Helleu under the n° 4338. Authenticated by Mrs. Howard-Johnston in 1988.

In this elegant drawing, Paul César Helleu has rapidly drawn this stylishly attired woman using his signature loose gestural draughtmanship. This looseness and ease of depiction suggests that the work was finished in situ, rather than through a series of studies, which is how Helleu preferred to work. Although this drawing was clearly composed rapidly, Helleu has taken careful care in depicting the sitter’s fashionable furbelowed dress and  hat with jaunty feathers. Additionally, he has delicately rendered her up to date makeup and hairstyle by judicious application of colour. Paul César Helleu has created an exquisite drawing of a society lady; his trademark.

 

Catalogue No: 4321 Categories: , ,

Helleu immortalised many beautiful women in paint and graphite because he became the darling of fashionable, aristocratic ladies at the time (including Coco Chanel).  Perhaps what makes him all the more appealing to the modern viewer is that, despite this, he was not a cad; throughout their lives together, his favourite model was his wife.

Private Collection, France;

Private Collection, Australia

Buy with confidence: our assurance to you

Professional Associations

We have built up a strong reputation for the quality of the paintings, drawings and sculpture that we curate, exhibit and sell. Our professional associations with bodies such as The British Antique Dealers’ Association (BADA) and the Association of Art & Antique Dealers (LAPADA) are as a result of our reputation for integrity, our wide knowledge of fine arts and the high quality of our stock. Our business standards and expertise are reviewed regularly to adhere vigorously with enforced Codes. Our memberships and commitment to its Code of Conducts, gives our buyers confidence when purchasing a work from us.

Authenticity

Condition reports and certificates of authenticity vary in their nature by artwork, for more information on your pieces of interest, please enquire with the gallery.

Artwork images

We take pride in the attention we give to our images of the artworks for purchase and invest in these to ensure outputs are aligned as closely as possible to the item in reality. We do not apply filters or modify images, we provide high quality images to reflect the high quality of our artworks.

Your purchase process

Payment processing – You can be assured that payments are securely processed through Worldpay’s trusted payment gateway.

The Trinity House promise to you

Shipping and packaging

Shipping and packaging requirements are assessed per piece to ensure the most suitable protection for the artwork. Trinity House will therefore call following purchase to agree the recommendations and costs.

Our After Sales services

We offer the following services which we will be happy to discuss with you following your purchase, alternatively you can enquire for more information.

Insurance

We offer insurance appraisals to protect your prised artwork and help you find the right cover and policy for you.

Framing

We are able to advise on framing and have access to every type and style to suit any artistic period or room setting.

Conservation

The nature of the materials involved in a painting mean that on occasion some pieces are susceptible to movement and the effects of natural ageing. We are able to provide advice on practical measures to conserve the original condition of a piece and have relationships with restorers and framers to offer you a range of services to meet your needs.

Paul César Helleu worked as a painter and an engraver in France at the turn of the Century. His work epitomises the charm and elegance of French culture at the time – the belle Époque. He gained renown for his portraits of society ladies on commission, but a true graceful sensitivity arises out of his portraits of his wife, Alice. He met Alice Guerin when she was only fourteen, and obeyed her parents’ wishes to wait for her to turn 16 to get married and live at home two years after that.

Though he moved to Paris when he was a young man, Helleu was born in Vannes in 1859. His first job was painting on ceramics. He later became a pupil of Jean Leon Gérome at the École Nationale des Beaux-Arts and befriended fellow student John Singer Sargent. Gérome was to buy his first painting. The Second Impressionist Exhibition of 1876 profoundly impacted Helleu and Sargent. It went so far that Helleu applied to the group and was accepted as one of them. However in 1886 when he was invited to the eighth exhibition, he was advised not to exhibit by his friend, Impressionist Claude Monet.

Helleu earned a living that enabled him to enjoy yachts and sailing – a pleasure he inherited from his father, a naval officer. He mixed with English and French society at Deauville and Cowes which served to increase his popularity. His wife enjoyed entertaining on their boat L’Etoile and Helleu painted many canvasses of life on board and other harbour scenes.

    Your Message


    You may also like…

    Related products

    The Cotswolds

    20 High Street
    Broadway
    WR12 7DT
    United Kingdom

    T: +44 (0)1386 859 329

    Trinity House Modern

    35 High Street
    Broadway
    WR12 7DP
    United Kingdom

    T: +44 (0)1386 859 329

    San Francisco

    82 Main Street
    Belvedere Tiburon
    CA 94920
    United States

    T: +1 415 250 2597

    Go to Top