The Musée Bonnard is paying tribute to Henri Manguin with the beautiful exhibit “Un fauve chez Bonnard”, running until 31st October.

Considered one of the founding fathers of Fauvism, Henri Manguin is best known for his Mediterranean landscapes inspired by long stays in Saint Tropez with Paul Signac.

A contemporary of Henri Matisse, Albert Marquet, Georges Rouault and Jean Puy with whom he studied in Gustave Moreau’s studio at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris, Manguin, who was born in 1874, has always been influenced by the works of the Impressionist and post-Impressionist painters such as Renoir, Monet and Cézanne, witnessed in his constant use of bright colours.

His paintings are indeed vibrant, passionate and joyful, thanks to the presence of dazzling hues (oranges, reds, and the like) and his use of strong lines. Despite spending most of his life in the French capital or on the road – Switzerland, Belgium, Italy – Manguin was fascinated by the light, the vegetation, the landscapes and the way of life of the South of France.

Moreover, if he never adopted the pointillist style of Signac, the artist was convinced that the colours were as important as the subject matter itself, and always avoided unnecessary details, preferring simplified forms instead.

Describing himself as the painter of a happy life, Manguin depicted women, landscapes and still life with flowers to create a real world of beauty and gaiety. He really became famous in 1905 when his works, displayed at the “Salon d’Automne” in the same room as many other Fauvist artists, known as “La Cage aux Fauves”, were hailed by the critics.

He later became an associate of that salon to whom he remained loyal until the end of his career, and went on to exhibit his paintings abroad. In 1924, he also worked on the decoration of the newly built Musée de l’Annonciade in Saint Tropez.

Mauguin @ Le Musée Bonnard

Manguin died in 1949 in Saint Tropez, shortly before permanently moving there. Today, his paintings can be found in many museums around the world such as the Musée d’Orsay in Paris, the Hermitage museum in Saint Peterburg or the Palazzo Ruspoli in Rome.

The exhibit, “Henri Manguin, un fauve chez Bonnard” runs until the 31st of October at the Musée Bonnard in Le Cannet.

Signage @ Le Musée Bonnard

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Musée Bonnard
16 boulevard Sadi Carnot
06110 Le Cannet

Open from Tuesday to Sunday, from 10am to 6pm

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All images courtesy Le Musée Bonnard

 

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