GEORGES ROUAULT French, 1871-1958 Two Works: Nude (1932) and Untitled (1932) Lithography and/or woodcut Illustrations dated 1932. The largest work (Nude) contains a poem or literary excerpt in French describes a simple, almost ascetic way of life, contrasting spiritual wealth with material needs and it references figures from Greek mythology, Penelope and Ulysses. The second work is likely a woodcut which contains a series of expressive, mask-like faces characteristic of Rouault’s fascination with the human condition and the grotesque. Both are framed and none we examined out of frame. Largest artwork: Sheet: 17.5 x 13 inches; frame: 20 x 16 inches $200-300
ARTIST PROFILE: Georges-Henri Rouault (1871–1958) was a distinguished French painter and printmaker whose deeply emotive style is frequently associated with Fauvism and Expressionism. Born into a modest family in a Parisian cellar during the 1871 insurrection, Rouault began his artistic journey at fourteen with an apprenticeship in stained glass restoration, a formative experience that likely inspired the heavy black contours and luminous colors of his mature work. As the favorite student of Gustave Moreau at the École des Beaux-Arts, he developed a unique approach that eventually diverged from Symbolism toward a more spontaneous and instinctive style alongside fellow Fauvists like Henri Matisse. Following a spiritual awakening and a conversion to Roman Catholicism, Rouault’s work became increasingly focused on religious subjects and social criticism, often depicting clowns, prostitutes, and the passion of Christ to explore the existential pain and spiritual hope of the human condition. His profound influence extended across Europe, particularly inspiring German Expressionists, and he remained a passionate figure in the art world until his death, even burning 300 of his unfinished works late in life simply because he felt he would not live to complete them.
