ANTOINE BLANCHARD (1910-1988)   A Vision of Paris - Part I Antoine Blanchard was born in France on November 15, 1910 in a small village near the banks of the Loire. He was the eldest of three children and his father, a carver, managed a small carpentry and furniture shop. Antoine would watch his father hand carve the furniture and began to display an artistic flair early in life - in an effort to promote this talent, his parents sent him to Blois for drawing lessons. He continued his training in Rennes at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts where he studied sculpture and drawing. Upon completion of his studies, he was awarded the schools highest award: Le Prix du Ministre. By 1932 he left Rennes and traveled to Paris to study. He enrolled at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts and after a few years entered the competition for the Prix de Rome. It was in Paris that he developed a love for the city and it's street life. In 1939 Antoine married a young woman he met in Paris and in September of that year war broke out and he was called up for service. It was not until 1942 that he would return to his art. His daughter Nicole was born in 1944 - she too would follow in the family tradition and after the birth of her two daughters, she became an artist working under the name A. Champeau. It was also around this time that Antoine's father passed away and he was compelled to return to his hometown and run the family business - giving him little time to paint. His second daughter, Evelyn, was born in 1947 and by 1948 he had given control of the family business to his younger brother and returned to Paris to paint. Contemporary life in Paris had changed and he longed for the bygone days. He began to research the Belle Époque period in Paris - reading and studying all the material on the period he could find. Many of the subjects and scenes he portrayed were taken from images he collected of Paris during the 1890's and he would often work on paintings for days or months before he finally felt they were complete. A.P. Larde comments in his book Antoine Blanchard, His Life His Work that he has always spent much time on his work. This explains why his production has always been rather limited, unlike the hurried and multiple proliferations of some modern artists… Delicate touches of luminous and shimmering tones produce a marvelous impression of harmony, brightness and light. Alternate shadings and lights, sensitive and mellow blending allow the artist to attain a hardly-ever reached degree of grace, of radiant and glimmering freshness. Larde continues to write that his works are first of all, a marvelous invitation to an ideal walk through old Paris, so different from that of to-day. Although a large number of historical monuments remain, today's Paris has little in common with Paris at the turn of the century; the scenery may be almost the same, but daily life as it characters has totally changed; the customs have been entirely transformed. In his paintings, Antoine Blanchard invites us to relive this period by showing us pleasant strolls along embankments, squares and boulevards at a period in Parisian life when time did not count, when one had all one's time to idle, to stroll along the streets, to window-shop, to walk quietly along the boulevards or spend the afternoon in a sidewalk café. Like his contemporary, Édouard Cortès, he devoted his artistic career to the depiction of Paris through all its daily and seasonal changes. But he was not an imitator of Cortes, but rather depicted the life of Paris at the turn of the century from his own point of view and with his own, unique style. Larde makes an interesting comparison:  Édouard Cortès has always expressed himself in a rather rich virile style, using large and stressed touches, revealing a strength, which recalls the great masters of the XVIIIth century. On the contrary, Antoine Blanchard has always used small strokes, with a delicate, enveloping and mellow treatment; the slight haziness which is a characteristic of his work in many ways recalls the great masters of the impressionist period. Whether it was l'Arc de Triomphe, la Madeleine, Café de la Paix, Notre Dame or the dozens of other historical monuments and buildings of Paris, his focus was on the daily life of Paris at the turn of the century. His work became highly sought after and collectors from around the world vied to acquire his new works. Today he is considered one of the leading exponents of the School of Paris painters. As with all our ‘Virtual Exhibitions’ the works illustrated below have been sold – they are displayed here for your enjoyment.    This essay is copyrighted by Rehs Galleries, Inc. and may not be reproduced or transmitted without written permission from Rehs Galleries, Inc. For more information on the artist, please read: The Blanchard Story? Please remember that all works illustrated below have been SOLD. Click on any image to enlarge it and see more information about the work Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Palais Royal Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed Painted c.1958 Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Place de la Concorde Oil on canvas 13 1/8 x 18 1/8 inches Signed; also signed and titled on the stretcher Painted c.1958   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Café de la Paix Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed Painted c.1958   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Paris, Les Champs Élysées Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed Painted c.1958 Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Champs-Elysees Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed Painted c.1958   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Rue Tronchet, La Madeleine Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed Painted c.1958   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Place de la Madeleine Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed Painted 1958 Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Place de la Repubique Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed Painted c.1958/9   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Place de la Republique Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed; also signed on the reverse Painted c.1959   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Place de la Bastille Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed; also signed and titled on the reverse Painted c.1958 Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Place de la Concorde Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed Painted c.1959   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Place de la Concorde Oil on canvas 18 x 21 5/8 inches Signed; also signed on the reverse Painted c.1959   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Boulevard de la Madeleine Oil on canvas 18 x 21 1/2 inches Signed Painted c.1958/59 Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Place de la Bastille Oil on canvas 18 x 21 1/2 inches Signed Painted c.1959   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Notre Dame, Quai St. Michel Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed; also signed, titled and numbered on the reverse Painted c.1958   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) La Gare d'Orleans, et le Quai d'Orsay Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed; also signed, numbered, and titled on the reverse Painted c.1959 Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Place de la Republique Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed; also signed on the reverse Painted c.1959   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Arc de Triomphe Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed; also signed and inscribed Paris on the reverse Painted c.1959   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Place de la Bastille Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed Painted c.1959 Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Champs-Elysees Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed; numbered on the reverse Painted c.1959   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Champs Elysees, Arc de Triomphe Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed; also signed on the reverse Painted c.1960/61   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Porte St. Martin Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed Painted c.1960 Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Porte St. Martin Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed; also signed on the reverse Painted c.1960   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Bouquinistes de Notre-Dame Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed; also signed and inscribed Paris on the reverse Painted c.1961   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Champs-Elysees Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed; also signed on the reverse Painted c.1960 Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Porte St. Denis Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed Painted c. 1960   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Café de la Paix, Place de l'Opera Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed; also signed on the reverse Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Cafe de la Paix Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed Painted c.1961   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Le Moulin Rouge Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed; also signed on the reverse Painted c.1960/1 Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Notre Dame Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Omnibus on the Place de la Madeleine Oil on canvas 18 x 21 1/2 inches Signed Painted c.1960-62   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Place de la Bastille Oil on canvas 18 x 21 1/2 inches Signed Painted c.1965 Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Place Vendôme Oil on canvas 18 x 22 inches Signed   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Place de la Madeleine Oil on canvas 18 x 21 inches Signed   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Théâtre du Châtelet Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed Painted c.1963 Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Notre Dame Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed Painted c.1963   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Opéra, Café de la Paix Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed Painted c.1963   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Rue Royale, Madeleine Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed Painted c.1963 Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Rue Royale, Madeleine Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed Painted c.1963   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Place de la Republique Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed Painted c.1963   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Quai du Louvre Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed Painted c.1963 Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Rue de la Paix, Place Vendôme Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed Painted c.1963   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Place de la République Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Hôtel de Ville and La Place de Grève Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed Painted c.1963 Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) The Pantheon Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed Painted c.1963   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Rue Tronchet, La Madeleine Oil on canvas 18 x 21 1/2 inches Signed Painted c.1961/2   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Quai du Louvre Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed Painted c.1963 Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Quai du Louvre Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Théâtre du Vaudeville Oil on canvas 18 x 21 3/4 inches Signed Painted c.1963   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Rue Royale, Madeleine Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Notre Dame, Quai Saint Michel Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Boulevard de la Madeleine Oil on canvas 24 x 36 inches Signed   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) l'Arc de Triomphe Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed Painted c.1968 Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Moulin Rouge a Pigalle sous la Neige Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Boulevard des Capucines Oil on canvas 18 x 21 1/2 inches Signed   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) La Chatelet Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Place du Chatelet Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed; also signed and titled on the reverse Painted c.1965   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Cafe de la Paix, Opéra Oil on canvas 18 x 21 1/2 inches Signed   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Place de la Madeleine, Hiver Oil on canvas 18 x 21 1/2 inches Signed Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Bouquinistes de Notre-Dame, Hiver Oil on canvas 18 x 21 1/2 inches Signed   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Rue de la Paix, Place Vendôme Oil on canvas 18 x 21 inches Signed Painted c.1962   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Boulevard des Capucines, Et Madeleine Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Boulevard de la Madeleine Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Place de la Clichy Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Champs Elysees, Winter Oil on canvas 18 x 21 3/4 inches Signed Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Porte St. Denis, Winter Oil on canvas 18 x 21 3/4 inches Signed   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) La Madeleine Oil on canvas 23 3/4 x 35 1/2 inches Signed Painted c.1968   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Rue de la Paix, Opéra Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Théâtre du Gymnase, Grands Boulevards Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Quai du Louvre Oil on canvas 18 x 21 1/2 inches Signed   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Place de la Republique Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Place de la Republique Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed Painted c.1965   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Champs Elysees, Arc de Triomphe Oil on canvas 18 x 22 inches Signed   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Théâtre du Vaudeville Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Place de la Madeleine Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Place de la Republique Oil on canvas 18 x 21 5/8 inches Signed   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Place de la Republique Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Porte St. Martin Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Place de la Republique Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Place de la Republique Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed; also signed on the reverse Painted c.1961 Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Arc de Triomphe Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed; also signed and inscribed Paris on the reverse Painted c.1961   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Place de la Concorde Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed; also numbered on the reverse Painted c.1959   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Boulevard de la Madeleine Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed Painted c.1964-65 Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Quai St. Michel, Notre Dame Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed Painted c.1962   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Bouquinistes, Notre Dame Oil on canvas 15 x 21 3/4 inches Signed Painted c.1961   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) La Rue Tronchet, Paris Oil on canvas 18 1/8 x 21 5/8 inches Signed; also signed and titled on the reverse Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Le Chatelet Oil on canvas 18 x 21 inches Signed; also signed and inscribed Paris on the reverse Painted c.1961   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Place de l'Opera, Cafe de la Paix Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed Painted c.1965   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Boulevard de la Madeleine Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Place de la Madeleine Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed Painted c.1962-3   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Arc de Triomphe Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed; also signed and inscribed Paris on the reverse Painted c.1962   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Flower Market, Madeleine Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Quai du Louvre Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed   Antoine Blanchard (1910 - 1988) Champs Elysees, Arc de Triomphe Oil on canvas 13 x 18 inches Signed Painted 1960s