Humorous Watercolor On Wine By Paul Cirou

Text: Sir, be careful, the wine is still increasing. You believe me, I think it's dropping sharply... in my cellar. Paul Cirou was a student at the École des Beaux-Arts in Dijon and then at the Académie Julian in Paris. He made his debut at the Salon des Artistes Français in 1898, with landscapes and portraits, including that of his father. He painted marshland landscapes during his stays in Normandy. He discovered Algeria in 1907 for health reasons and settled there in 1912. He lived and worked there until 1936. He painted a portrait of the Governor General and produced a series of colorful works inspired by Orientalism. Back in Paris, he taught with his wife in his studio on Rue de la Tombe-Issoire. He exhibited his Algerian works with success. He designed cartoons for large tapestries commissioned by the Manufacture des Gobelins, and the State bought works from him such as Les porteuses d’eau kabyles, Fleurs à la fenêtre, or Sur le lac Léman. In 1929, he took part in the Salon des indépendants2. After the death of his wife in 1950, he returned to his family in Sainte-Mère-Église. He died in 1951 before being able to complete the project of executing frescoes on the theme of the Second World War.