Alexandre Brun, Britany, "rocks"

Oil on canvas, 41.1 x 33.4 cm, signed "A. Brun" lower left. Alexandre Jean-Baptiste Brun was born in Marseilles on November 3, 1853. As a young man, he studied painting in Paris, at the École des Beaux Arts, with masters such as Alexandre Cabanel, Carolus-Duran and Felix Bracquemond. He painted notably with Adolphe Monticelli, Louis Tinayre and Henri Pinta. Marine painter, he produced many illustrations for encyclopedias and books dedicated to the sea published by Larousse. An accomplished yachtsman, he accompanies Prince Albert I of Monaco on some of his oceanographic expeditions. The prince will invite him to collaborate in the realization of the frescoes of the Grand Amphitheater of the Oceanographic Institute of Paris whose construction he finances. Alexandre Brun also executes commissions for Baroness Nathaniel de Rothschild, Barons Arthur and Edmond de Rothschild, and relatives, such as Louis Libreck, for whom he produced perhaps his most famous work: a series of watercolors immortalizing the collection. of his friend's orchids. A prolific painter, he is the author of numerous family portraits, landscapes (banks of the Seine, Normandy coasts, port of Joliette, creeks of Marseille) as well as still lifes. A member of the Salon des artistes français from 1877, he sent his works there almost every year until 1934. He exhibited in London at the Royal Academy in 1881 and 1882 as well as at the Universal Exhibition of 1889, during which he received the bronze medal, marine section, before interrupting himself to devote himself to travels in various regions of France and in Algeria. He will again suspend his activities in 1914 to resume them at the end of the war and this, until 1934, date on which he retires to Malmousque, in his villa "L'Ouragan", only exhibiting at the Jouvène gallery in Marseille. A prolific painter, Alexandre Brun painted many seascapes (oils on wood, on canvas, watercolours), representing life at sea, scenes of life (Le Départ du marin, 1885, Après un naufrage, 1888), fishing or swimming (Le Bain de mer, 1883), views of ports or ships (mainly three-masts and tartanes). He also produced illustrations of significant events (The Capture of Sfax, 1882, President Carnot embarking on board the Formidable 1890, watercolors of historic ships (Le Soleil Royal, Le Royal Louis) as well as lithographs of warships: Le Marengo, L'Océan, Le Suffren and L'Epervier) A large number of his seascapes were purchased in 2002 by the National Maritime Museum which, after a long and meticulous restoration campaign, studied, classified and inventoried them. , restored and photographed. The collection is currently kept in the reserves of the Musée de la marine in Chaillot, then will be transferred in 2016 to the new Conservation Center in Dugny.