Victor Prouvé - Victory

An artist of joy and the republican values of his time, a rock star of Art Nouveau, Victor Prouvé (1858-1943) distinguished himself through his virtuoso technical versatility and his collaboration with the École de Nancy. Inspired by nature to create his works, his creations are adorned with plant motifs such as flowers, leaves, and insects. Victor Prouvé's works are characterized by curved, dynamic lines that exude a sense of movement and fluidity. Using bright, contrasting colors, this bold color palette brings a touch of modernity to his work. His original and elegant universe continues to inspire many contemporary decorators. The artist himself received solid artistic training, first at the municipal drawing school of Nancy, then at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, where he studied under Alexandre Cabanel. His drawings demonstrate his mastery of classical techniques and his openness to the influences of his time. The set of sketches we offer in this exhibition reveal his sense of observation of nature, his ability to stylize forms and his taste for curved and dynamic lines. In turn preparatory to large sets (Hôtel de Ville de Paris and Nancy), to paintings and objets d'art, Prouvé explores here different drawing techniques, ranging from pencil to pen, charcoal and watercolor. His sheets are characterized by their precision, finesse and sensitivity, varying between different styles from realism to abstraction, while preserving the artistic identity of their author