Albert Joseph Pénot Watercolor Painting of a Card Game in Architectural Frame

Item Details

Albert Joseph Pénot (French, 1862 – 1930)
Untitled (cardinal and gentleman playing cards)
Watercolor painting on paper
Signed to the lower right

Albert Joseph Pénot was born in the Xermaménil commune in 1862. Sometime before the turn of the century, Pénot and his family moved to Paris, where he attended l’École des Beaux-Arts. There, he studied under Orientalist painter Gabriel Ferrier. In the 19th century, orientalism became the art of the academy and was used as propaganda for French imperialism. Few artists, including Pénot, rebuked this movement and chose to paint in personal styles instead. Pénot painted landscapes and scenes of upper class life, but his most notable works pictured gothic-style female nudes in reclining poses within dark and nonobjective backgrounds. Throughout the span of his career, Pénot won multiple awards including the Order of Academic Palms, as well as honorable mention and third place at Salon des Artistes Francais. Most of his work resides in private collections around the world and does not appear on the market frequently.

• Item not examined outside of mounting

Condition

- wear, dents, scratches, finish loss, and accretions to frame; slight toning to paper; dust and deris.

Dimensions

Item #

ITMGC99631