Antoine Blanchard - A Vision of Paris Part I
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Arc de TriompheAntoine BlanchardArc de Triomphe Arc de TriompheAntoine BlanchardArc de Triomphe Arc de TriompheAntoine BlanchardArc de Triomphe
Arc de TriompheAntoine BlanchardArc de Triomphe Arc de TriompheAntoine BlanchardArc de Triomphe Avenue de lAntoine BlanchardAvenue de l'Opera
Avenue des Champs-ElyseesAntoine BlanchardAvenue des Champs-Elysees Booksellers, Notre DameAntoine BlanchardBooksellers, Notre Dame Boulevard de la MadeleineAntoine BlanchardBoulevard de la Madeleine
Boulevard de la MadeleineAntoine BlanchardBoulevard de la Madeleine Boulevard de la MadeleineAntoine BlanchardBoulevard de la Madeleine Boulevard de la Madeleine in WinterAntoine BlanchardBoulevard de la Madeleine in Winter
Boulevard de la Madeleine, WinterAntoine BlanchardBoulevard de la Madeleine, Winter Boulevard de la Madeleine, WinterAntoine BlanchardBoulevard de la Madeleine, Winter Boulevard St. Martin, Theatre de lAntoine BlanchardBoulevard St. Martin, Theatre de l'Ambigu Comique
Bouquinistes, Notre DameAntoine BlanchardBouquinistes, Notre Dame Bouquinistes, Notre DameAntoine BlanchardBouquinistes, Notre Dame Cafe de la PaixAntoine BlanchardCafe de la Paix
Cafe de la PaixAntoine BlanchardCafe de la Paix Café de la Paix, Place de lAntoine BlanchardCafé de la Paix, Place de l'Opera Café de la Paix, Place de lAntoine BlanchardCafé de la Paix, Place de l'Opera
Champs-ElyseesAntoine BlanchardChamps-Elysees Champs-Élysées, Arc de TriompheAntoine BlanchardChamps-Élysées, Arc de Triomphe Châtelet, Quai de GesvresAntoine BlanchardChâtelet, Quai de Gesvres
Église de Saint-Germain-des-PrésAntoine BlanchardÉglise de Saint-Germain-des-Prés Flower Market, MadeleineAntoine BlanchardFlower Market, Madeleine Flower Market, ParisAntoine BlanchardFlower Market, Paris
LAntoine BlanchardL'Arc de Triomphe La Gare dAntoine BlanchardLa Gare d'Orleans et la Quai d'Orsay La Rue Tronchet, La MadeleineAntoine BlanchardLa Rue Tronchet, La Madeleine
Le PantheonAntoine BlanchardLe Pantheon Marche aux fleurs, MadeleineAntoine BlanchardMarche aux fleurs, Madeleine Marche aux fleurs, MadeleineAntoine BlanchardMarche aux fleurs, Madeleine
Marche aux fleurs, MadeleineAntoine BlanchardMarche aux fleurs, Madeleine Marche aux fleurs, MadeleineAntoine BlanchardMarche aux fleurs, Madeleine Marche aux fleurs, Porte Saint DenisAntoine BlanchardMarche aux fleurs, Porte Saint Denis
Moulin RougeAntoine BlanchardMoulin Rouge Notre-Dame, Quai St. MichelAntoine BlanchardNotre-Dame, Quai St. Michel Paris - Champs ElyseesAntoine BlanchardParis - Champs Elysees
Paris - Moulin RougeAntoine BlanchardParis - Moulin Rouge Paris, Cafe de la PaixAntoine BlanchardParis, Cafe de la Paix Paris, La MadeleineAntoine BlanchardParis, La Madeleine
Place de la ConcordeAntoine BlanchardPlace de la Concorde Place de la ConcordeAntoine BlanchardPlace de la Concorde Place de la MadeleineAntoine BlanchardPlace de la Madeleine
Place de la MadeleineAntoine BlanchardPlace de la Madeleine Place de la MadeleineAntoine BlanchardPlace de la Madeleine Place de la MadeleineAntoine BlanchardPlace de la Madeleine
Place de la Madeleine, WinterAntoine BlanchardPlace de la Madeleine, Winter Place de la RepubliqueAntoine BlanchardPlace de la Republique Place de la RepubliqueAntoine BlanchardPlace de la Republique
Place du ChateletAntoine BlanchardPlace du Chatelet Porte St. DenisAntoine BlanchardPorte St. Denis Porte St. MartinAntoine BlanchardPorte St. Martin
Quai du Louvre, HiverAntoine BlanchardQuai du Louvre, Hiver Rue de la Paix, Place VendômeAntoine BlanchardRue de la Paix, Place Vendôme Rue Royale, MadeleineAntoine BlanchardRue Royale, Madeleine
Rue Royale, MadeleineAntoine BlanchardRue Royale, Madeleine Rue Royale, MadeleineAntoine BlanchardRue Royale, Madeleine Rue Royale, MadeleineAntoine BlanchardRue Royale, Madeleine
Rue Royale, Place de la ConcordeAntoine BlanchardRue Royale, Place de la Concorde Rue TronchetAntoine BlanchardRue Tronchet The PantheonAntoine BlanchardThe Pantheon
The PantheonAntoine BlanchardThe Pantheon Théatre des VariétésAntoine BlanchardThéatre des Variétés Théâtre des VariétésAntoine BlanchardThéâtre des Variétés
Theatre du VaudevilleAntoine BlanchardTheatre du Vaudeville Théâtre du VaudevilleAntoine BlanchardThéâtre du Vaudeville Theatre du Vaudville, Boulevard des CapucinesAntoine BlanchardTheatre du Vaudville, Boulevard des Capucines
Quai du LouvreAntoine BlanchardQuai du Louvre Palais RoyalAntoine BlanchardPalais Royal Place de la ConcordeAntoine BlanchardPlace de la Concorde
Café de la PaixAntoine BlanchardCafé de la Paix Paris, Les Champs ÉlyséesAntoine BlanchardParis, Les Champs Élysées Champs-ElyseesAntoine BlanchardChamps-Elysees
Rue Tronchet, La MadeleineAntoine BlanchardRue Tronchet, La Madeleine Place de la MadeleineAntoine BlanchardPlace de la Madeleine Place de la RepubiqueAntoine BlanchardPlace de la Repubique
Place de la RepubliqueAntoine BlanchardPlace de la Republique Place de la BastilleAntoine BlanchardPlace de la Bastille Place de la ConcordeAntoine BlanchardPlace de la Concorde
Place de la ConcordeAntoine BlanchardPlace de la Concorde Boulevard de la MadeleineAntoine BlanchardBoulevard de la Madeleine Place de la BastilleAntoine BlanchardPlace de la Bastille
Notre Dame, Quai St. MichelAntoine BlanchardNotre Dame, Quai St. Michel La Gare dAntoine BlanchardLa Gare d'Orleans, et le Quai d'Orsay Place de la RepubliqueAntoine BlanchardPlace de la Republique
Arc de TriompheAntoine BlanchardArc de Triomphe Place de la BastilleAntoine BlanchardPlace de la Bastille Champs-ElyseesAntoine BlanchardChamps-Elysees
Place de la RepubliqueAntoine BlanchardPlace de la Republique Porte St. MartinAntoine BlanchardPorte St. Martin Porte St. MartinAntoine BlanchardPorte St. Martin
Champs Elysees, Arc de TriompheAntoine BlanchardChamps Elysees, Arc de Triomphe Champs-ElyseesAntoine BlanchardChamps-Elysees Porte St. DenisAntoine BlanchardPorte St. Denis
Bouquinistes de Notre-DameAntoine BlanchardBouquinistes de Notre-Dame Café de la Paix, Place de lAntoine BlanchardCafé de la Paix, Place de l'Opera Cafe de la PaixAntoine BlanchardCafe de la Paix
Moulin RougeAntoine BlanchardMoulin Rouge Le Moulin RougeAntoine BlanchardLe Moulin Rouge Notre DameAntoine BlanchardNotre Dame
Omnibus on the Place de la MadeleineAntoine BlanchardOmnibus on the Place de la Madeleine Place de la BastilleAntoine BlanchardPlace de la Bastille Place VendômeAntoine BlanchardPlace Vendôme
Place de la MadeleineAntoine BlanchardPlace de la Madeleine Théâtre du ChâteletAntoine BlanchardThéâtre du Châtelet Notre DameAntoine BlanchardNotre Dame
Opéra, Café de la PaixAntoine BlanchardOpéra, Café de la Paix Rue Royale, MadeleineAntoine BlanchardRue Royale, Madeleine Rue Royale, MadeleineAntoine BlanchardRue Royale, Madeleine
Place de la RepubliqueAntoine BlanchardPlace de la Republique Quai du LouvreAntoine BlanchardQuai du Louvre Rue de la Paix, Place VendômeAntoine BlanchardRue de la Paix, Place Vendôme
Place de la RépubliqueAntoine BlanchardPlace de la République Hôtel de Ville and La Place de GrèveAntoine BlanchardHôtel de Ville and La Place de Grève Rue Tronchet, La MadeleineAntoine BlanchardRue Tronchet, La Madeleine
Quai du LouvreAntoine BlanchardQuai du Louvre Quai du LouvreAntoine BlanchardQuai du Louvre Théâtre du VaudevilleAntoine BlanchardThéâtre du Vaudeville
Rue Royale, MadeleineAntoine BlanchardRue Royale, Madeleine Notre Dame, Quai Saint MichelAntoine BlanchardNotre Dame, Quai Saint Michel Boulevard de la MadeleineAntoine BlanchardBoulevard de la Madeleine
lAntoine Blanchardl'Arc de Triomphe Moulin Rouge a Pigalle sous la NeigeAntoine BlanchardMoulin Rouge a Pigalle sous la Neige Boulevard des CapucinesAntoine BlanchardBoulevard des Capucines
Place du ChateletAntoine BlanchardPlace du Chatelet Place du ChateletAntoine BlanchardPlace du Chatelet Cafe de la Paix, OpéraAntoine BlanchardCafe de la Paix, Opéra
Place de la Madeleine, HiverAntoine BlanchardPlace de la Madeleine, Hiver Bouquinistes de Notre-Dame, HiverAntoine BlanchardBouquinistes de Notre-Dame, Hiver Rue de la Paix, Place VendômeAntoine BlanchardRue de la Paix, Place Vendôme
Boulevard des Capucines, Et MadeleineAntoine BlanchardBoulevard des Capucines, Et Madeleine Boulevard de la MadeleineAntoine BlanchardBoulevard de la Madeleine Place de la RepubliqueAntoine BlanchardPlace de la Republique
Champs Elysees, WinterAntoine BlanchardChamps Elysees, Winter Porte St. Denis, WinterAntoine BlanchardPorte St. Denis, Winter La MadeleineAntoine BlanchardLa Madeleine
Rue de la Paix, OpéraAntoine BlanchardRue de la Paix, Opéra Théâtre du Gymnase, Grands BoulevardsAntoine BlanchardThéâtre du Gymnase, Grands Boulevards Quai du LouvreAntoine BlanchardQuai du Louvre
Place de la RepubliqueAntoine BlanchardPlace de la Republique Place de la RepubliqueAntoine BlanchardPlace de la Republique Champs Elysees, Arc de TriompheAntoine BlanchardChamps Elysees, Arc de Triomphe
Théâtre du VaudevilleAntoine BlanchardThéâtre du Vaudeville Place de la MadeleineAntoine BlanchardPlace de la Madeleine Place de la RepubliqueAntoine BlanchardPlace de la Republique
Place de la RepubliqueAntoine BlanchardPlace de la Republique Porte St. MartinAntoine BlanchardPorte St. Martin Place de la RepubliqueAntoine BlanchardPlace de la Republique
Place de la RepubliqueAntoine BlanchardPlace de la Republique Arc de TriompheAntoine BlanchardArc de Triomphe Place de la ConcordeAntoine BlanchardPlace de la Concorde
Boulevard de la MadeleineAntoine BlanchardBoulevard de la Madeleine Quai St. Michel, Notre DameAntoine BlanchardQuai St. Michel, Notre Dame Bouquinistes, Notre DameAntoine BlanchardBouquinistes, Notre Dame
La Rue Tronchet, ParisAntoine BlanchardLa Rue Tronchet, Paris Le ChateletAntoine BlanchardLe Chatelet Place de lAntoine BlanchardPlace de l'Opera, Cafe de la Paix
Boulevard de la MadeleineAntoine BlanchardBoulevard de la Madeleine Place de la MadeleineAntoine BlanchardPlace de la Madeleine Arc de TriompheAntoine BlanchardArc de Triomphe
Flower Market, MadeleineAntoine BlanchardFlower Market, Madeleine Quai du LouvreAntoine BlanchardQuai du Louvre Champs Elysees, Arc de TriompheAntoine BlanchardChamps Elysees, Arc de Triomphe
Arc de TriompheAntoine BlanchardArc de Triomphe La Rue Lafayette et le Square MontholonAntoine BlanchardLa Rue Lafayette et le Square Montholon The PantheonAntoine BlanchardThe Pantheon
Boulevard de la MadeleineAntoine BlanchardBoulevard de la Madeleine Théâtre du VaudevilleAntoine BlanchardThéâtre du Vaudeville Place de la MadeleineAntoine BlanchardPlace de la Madeleine
Rue Norvis, Place du Tertre, MontmartreAntoine BlanchardRue Norvis, Place du Tertre, Montmartre Quai des Gesvres, Théâtre du ChâteletAntoine BlanchardQuai des Gesvres, Théâtre du Châtelet Boulevard des Capucines, Place de la MadeleineAntoine BlanchardBoulevard des Capucines, Place de la Madeleine
Cafe de la Paix, Place de la OperaAntoine BlanchardCafe de la Paix, Place de la Opera Place VendômeAntoine BlanchardPlace Vendôme Boulevard HaussmannAntoine BlanchardBoulevard Haussmann
Théâtre du VaudevilleAntoine BlanchardThéâtre du Vaudeville Théâtre des VariétésAntoine BlanchardThéâtre des Variétés The PantheonAntoine BlanchardThe Pantheon
The PantheonAntoine BlanchardThe Pantheon Portes St. Martin and DenisAntoine BlanchardPortes St. Martin and Denis Boulevard HaussmannAntoine BlanchardBoulevard Haussmann
Place de la RepubliqueAntoine BlanchardPlace de la Republique Rue Royale, MadeleineAntoine BlanchardRue Royale, Madeleine Arc de Triomphe, Champs-ElyseesAntoine BlanchardArc de Triomphe, Champs-Elysees
Théâtre du ChâteletAntoine BlanchardThéâtre du Châtelet Gare de lAntoine BlanchardGare de l'Est Champs Elysees, Arc de TriompheAntoine BlanchardChamps Elysees, Arc de Triomphe
Champs ElyseesAntoine BlanchardChamps Elysees    


Antoine Blanchard was born in France on November 15, 1910 in a small village near the banks of the Loire. He was the eldest of three children and his father, a carver, managed a small carpentry and furniture shop. Antoine would watch his father hand carve the furniture and began to display an artistic flair early in life - in an effort to promote this talent, his parents sent him to Blois for drawing lessons. He continued his training in Rennes at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts where he studied sculpture and drawing. Upon completion of his studies, he was awarded the schools highest award: Le Prix du Ministre.

By 1932 he left Rennes and traveled to Paris to study. He enrolled at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts and after a few years entered the competition for the Prix de Rome. It was in Paris that he developed a love for the city and it's street life.

In 1939 Antoine married a young woman he met in Paris and in September of that year war broke out and he was called up for service. It was not until 1942 that he would return to his art. His daughter Nicole was born in 1944 - she too would follow in the family tradition and after the birth of her two daughters, she became an artist working under the name A. Champeau. It was also around this time that Antoine's father passed away and he was compelled to return to his hometown and run the family business - giving him little time to paint.

His second daughter, Evelyn, was born in 1947 and by 1948 he had given control of the family business to his younger brother and returned to Paris to paint. Contemporary life in Paris had changed and he longed for the bygone days. He began to research the Belle Époque period in Paris - reading and studying all the material on the period he could find.

Many of the subjects and scenes he portrayed were taken from images he collected of Paris during the 1890's and he would often work on paintings for days or months before he finally felt they were complete. A.P. Larde comments in his book Antoine Blanchard, His Life His Work that he has always spent much time on his work. This explains why his production has always been rather limited, unlike the hurried and multiple proliferations of some modern artists… Delicate touches of luminous and shimmering tones produce a marvelous impression of harmony, brightness and light. Alternate shadings and lights, sensitive and mellow blending allow the artist to attain a hardly-ever reached degree of grace, of radiant and glimmering freshness.

Larde continues to write that his works are first of all, a marvelous invitation to an ideal walk through old Paris, so different from that of to-day. Although a large number of historical monuments remain, today's Paris has little in common with Paris at the turn of the century; the scenery may be almost the same, but daily life as it characters has totally changed; the customs have been entirely transformed. In his paintings, Antoine Blanchard invites us to relive this period by showing us pleasant strolls along embankments, squares and boulevards at a period in Parisian life when time did not count, when one had all one's time to idle, to stroll along the streets, to window-shop, to walk quietly along the boulevards or spend the afternoon in a sidewalk café.

Like his contemporary, Édouard Cortès, he devoted his artistic career to the depiction of Paris through all its daily and seasonal changes. But he was not an imitator of Cortes, but rather depicted the life of Paris at the turn of the century from his own point of view and with his own, unique style. Larde makes an interesting comparison: 

Édouard Cortès has always expressed himself in a rather rich virile style, using large and stressed touches, revealing a strength, which recalls the great masters of the XVIIIth century.

On the contrary, Antoine Blanchard has always used small strokes, with a delicate, enveloping and mellow treatment; the slight haziness which is a characteristic of his work in many ways recalls the great masters of the impressionist period.

Whether it was l'Arc de Triomphe, la Madeleine, Café de la Paix, Notre Dame or the dozens of other historical monuments and buildings of Paris, his focus was on the daily life of Paris at the turn of the century. His work became highly sought after and collectors from around the world vied to acquire his new works. Today he is considered one of the leading exponents of the School of Paris painters.

As with all our ‘Virtual Exhibitions’ the works illustrated below have been sold – they are displayed here for your enjoyment.   

This essay is copyrighted by Rehs Galleries, Inc. and may not be reproduced or transmitted without written permission from Rehs Galleries, Inc.

 

For more information on the artist, please read: The Blanchard Story?