ANDRE DIGNIMONT (1891-1965) - Receive artist alerts » - More items from this artist »

Watercolour and Gouache on Paper

Signed

41.00cm wide    56.00cm high    (16.14 inches wide  22.05 inches high)

André Dignimont was born in Paris in 1891 and initially studied at the College Juilly, before spending some time in London. On his return to Paris he continued his studies at the Academie Julian.

His early career was spent concentrating on painting and he exhibited at the Salon d’Automne, Salon des Independents, and the Salon des Tuileries. However, he turned increasingly to watercolour and illustration and under the guidance of Gus Bofa, became one of the leading illustrators of the day. Gus Bofa, a cartoonist, created the Salon de l’Araignee as a reaction to the staid Salon des Humoristes and gathered a large group of leading illustrators and cartoonists who exhibited regularly during the inter-war years at the Galerie Devamber.

Dignimont’s substantial body of work places him in the tradition of uniquely Parisian art. His love of beautiful women, café life and Paris itself provides a singular insight into the ‘demi-monde’ and he also illustrated over fifty books, many of them by Francis Carco, who wrote of this very world. He also embraced glamorous Parisian Haute Couture with his fashion illustrations.

Dignimont exhibited regularly at the Galerie Bernier, with a major exhibition in 1928, and also at the Galerie Chapentier. His encounters with the world of theatre and film led him both to design for the Paris Opera and the Comedie Francaise, and to act in two Jean Renoir films, and one directed by Sacha Guitry. André Dignimont died in 1965.