Brianchon, Maurice

Maurice Brianchon was born at Fresnay-sur-Sarthe in January, 1899. He first studied in Bordeaux at the École des Beaux-Arts under Paul Quinsac, a sculptor; in 1917 he moved to Paris and entered the École des Beaux Arts Decoratifs where he trained under Eugène Morand. He first exhibited at the Salon d’Automne in 1920 and by 1922 was a committee member of the same Salon. In 1924 he won the Prix Blumenthal and a travel scholarship that he used to tour Spain. In 1939 he was awarded the Carnegie Prize.

Brianchon executed murals for the Conservatoire de Musique et d’Art Dramatique de Paris, the Lycée Janson-de-Sailly and the Palais de Chaillot, tapestry cartoons for the Aubusson* and Gobelins* factories, and book illustrations including Andre Gide’s ‘Theatre Complet.’ He also was an accomplished stage designer, working on costumes and sets for Fausses Confidences and La Seconde Surprise de l’Amour’by Marivaux.

Brianchon’s first solo show was at the Galerie Le Portique in Paris, and he went on to exhibit with Wildenstein both in London and Paris, and at the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Neuchâtel, Switzerland. Brianchon was not tied to Europe however, and his paintings were shown regularly in America and once at an exhibition in Rio de Janeiro.

He was an highly regarded member of the Peintres de la Réalité Poétique group, and exhibited with them in 1956. Brianchon’s principle influences included Matisse, Vuillard and Bonnard, as well as older masters, notably Manet. His paintings can be found in many public collections, not least the Musée d’Art Moderne in Paris.

Maurice Bianchon’s early work is characterized by dynamic images of horse races and equestrian scenes, theater stages, and street scenes painted by the young artist while enamored with city life, while his later work transitioned into the relaxed, contemplative landscapes and still lifes of a mature artist savoring his elder years in the country. Brianchon was awarded the Chevalier of the Legion of Honor, and was the subject of a major retrospective at the Louvre in 1951. The following year he was selected as one of the official artists of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II of England.