Swiss painter of the Belle Époque, Gustave Poetzsch was born in 1870 in Neuchâtel where he started to learn painting very young. Swiss mountains and lakes were the first inspiring influence for the young painter turned to nature.
As he wanted to improve his technique, he went to Paris in 1892 and joined the Julian Academy. He entered the Fine Art School in 1895 and studied in the class of Gustave Moreau near Henri Matisse, Charles Camoin and Paul de Frick.
In 1896, he married Marie-Louise Aulagne, a well-known milliner established on the Faubourg Saint Honoré. Through her, he frequented the fashion places and the upper class. He travelled to Deauville, the Normandy city coast that attracted Parisian people, English aristocrats and American billionaires.
He opening of the two Palaces Normandy and Royal, yachting, golf, see bathings, jewelers and renown fashion designers had turned Deauville into the perfect place for vacation at the beginning of the century.
Gustave Poetzsch was the witness of this lucky time and was present at the end of August 1913 to seethe finish of the Paris-Deauville race for seaplanes, a speed race along the Seine, introduction of sea planes' competitions in Deauville.
This event filled summer holidaymakers with wonder, and the painter immortalized them on his paintings. He also painted his wife on the beach and liked to describe precisely costumes and fashion accessories.
The rich clientele of his wife gave him a continuous source of inspiration. He exhibited at the Salon at the Independents from 1895 and also at the Salon of French Artists and the National Society of Fine Arts.
He took part in the 1900's Universal Exhibition located in Paris. The work of Gustave Poetzsch showed daily life scenes, landscapes and still lives. He possessed a house in Yssingeaux in the French department of Haute-Loire and painted there lacemakers and nature.
One can see today in Carnavalet Museum his drawings realized during the German defeat in 1944.
A retrospective of his works took place in the Neufchatel's Museum of Fine Arts in 1950.
Museums
Musée Crozatier
Musée Carnavalet
Musée des Beaux-Arts de Neuchâtel, Suisse
Bibliography: Bénézit, "Dictionnaire des peintres, sculpteurs, dessinateurs et graveurs", Gründ 1999.
Gustave Poetzsch è uno dei pittori che incarnano la Belle Époque nella pittura.
Poetzsch era di origine svizzera, ma la stragrande maggioranza della sua vita lo ha trascorso in Francia.
Arrivò a Parigi nel 1892 e si iscrisse alla Julian Academy.
Ha poi studiato nei laboratori di Luc Olivier Merson e Gustave Moreau con artisti del calibro di Henri Matisse, Charles Camoin e Paul de Frick.
Dipinse scene della Belle Epoque a Parigi, molte delle belle signore che bevevano assenzio nei bar che avrebbero potuto essere frequentati da personaggi come Degas e Toulouse-Lautrec.
Le sue scene sulla spiaggia delle sue vacanze intorno a Deauville sono semplicemente sublimi.
Questi esempi provengono dal tempo trascorso nella casa di famiglia a Yssingeaux ed è qui che si ha la sensazione che abbia tempo reale da dedicare alla sua pittura, senza interruzioni.
Le pennellate sicure e precise sono magnificamente completate dalla sua comprensione della tavolozza impressionista del periodo.
Non molto di questo artista era sul mercato aperto fino a poco tempo.
Si capisce perché attualmente è un pittore poco conosciuto, poiché la stragrande maggioranza delle sue opere è stata messa all'asta da un'unica collezione.
Lo standard delle opere in quella vendita era infinitamente superiore alle offerte precedenti e quindi sono stati raggiunti prezzi molto alti.
L'abilità di esecuzione e l'assoluta audacia del colore sono all'altezza di praticamente qualsiasi artista della Belle Epoque.
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