Art Deco, Early 20th Century, Pe Millet, Tiger, Charcoal And Gouache On Paper

PE Millet(France, early 20th century)
TIGER
Executed in 1937

Charcoal and gouache on paper, 64 x 93 cmSigned and dated lower left: PE MILLET 37

Athletically well-trained, muscular, and with a broad chest, Millet's tiger faces us in this large-format drawing. He wants to impress, and he succeeds. Millet drew his virile alpha male in 1937, and the few other signed works (also tigers) known by him were also created in the 1930s. Stylistically, the tiger belongs to the Art Deco predator paintings of the 1920s/30s and is reminiscent of the slender panthers of Paul Jouve and Jean Royer.
Although he clearly signed his name, we know virtually nothing about PE Millet, not even his first name. He is one of the great unknowns in art history and is not yet included in any artist encyclopedia. It is likely that he worked primarily as an illustrator and interior designer. It is easy to imagine the tiger in a fresh, elegant, and refined Art Deco setting. There may also be an oil version, which could have been painted on a gold background or lacquer, according to the taste of the time. The depiction can easily compete with Paul Jouve's drawings, but it is available at a much lower price. A very attractive and highly decorative work!