Paul Chabas, The Young Girl With The Shell Circa 1910 - Symbolism

Wonderful vision of a young woman with a shell, who, like a mermaid, awakens our senses.
The work of Paul Chabas is linked to symbolism and depicts an imaginary world composed of ravishing naiads draped in light tunics and enveloped in a soft light.
Its large touches of material that blend together and its delicate design evoke the Scandinavian painter, Anders Zorn.

Paul Chabas is a French painter and illustrator, born in Nantes on March 7, 1869 and died in Paris on May 10, 1937.
Younger brother of the painter Maurice Chabas (1862-1947), they both joined the Académie Julian, rue du Dragon in Paris.
Paul trained there between 1883 and 1887 and was a student of William Bouguereau and Tony Robert-Fleury.
From 1885 he exhibited at the Salon des Artistes Français and presented his works there constantly throughout his career as an artist, winning various medals: In 1892 an Honorable Mention, a 3rd class medal in 1895, 2nd class in 1896, a National Prize in 1899, a gold medal in 1900, a medal of honor in 1912.
In the 1890s, Chabas illustrated a few books by authors like Paul Bourget or Alfred de Musset.
He was made a knight of the Legion of Honor in 1902, then promoted to officer of this order in 1913 and finally to commander in 1928.
From 1921 and until 1937, he took the place of Luc-Olivier Merson as director from the Institut de France.
He became president of the Society of French Artists from 1926 to 1936.
Numerous works in public collections:
Austria: Vienna - French Embassy “The bather” 1905 Deposited by the Musée d'Orsay.
Brazil: Saô Paulo - Sâo Paulo art museum “Blonde Nymph”, “Portrait of a Woman”
United States - New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art “September Matinee” Salon 1912 - Washington, Smithsonian American Art Museum “young girl »
France: Brissac-Quincé, Brissac castle -
             Le Havre, André Malraux museum -
             Limoux - Petiet museum -
             Montauban, Ingres museum -
             Mulhouse, Museum of Fine Arts -
             Nantes, Thomas-Dobrée departmental museum, Museum of Fine Arts . -
             Paris, BNF, Musée d’Orsay, Petit Palais, Musée Carnavalet, Musée du Louvre.
             Tourcoing, Eugène-Leroy museum -
             Versailles, National Museum of the castles of Versailles and Trianon.
Greece, Athens, National Pinacoteca “Portrait of a man”, “Seated woman”

Oil on panel in perfect condition signed “Paul Chabas” lower right. On the back, titled in pencil “The young girl with the shell, Hossegor” and bearing an exhibition or inventory number “5383”.
Size: 13,8 x 10,4 Inches without frame and 22 x 18,5 Inches with its old wooden and gilded stucco frame.