Pierre Agnès (1898-1964), Menders Of The Bigouden Country, 1925

Pierre AGNES (1898-1964)Menders of the Bigouden countryOil on canvas signed lower left and dated 1925Dimension: 46 x 65.5 cmPierre Agnès, born in 1898 in Maisons-Laffitte, came from a family of artisans. After brilliant studies at the École des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, his artistic career was interrupted by the First World War, during which he made numerous sketches from the front. Returning to civilian life, he worked as a draftsman and decorator, while pursuing his passion for painting. Married in 1933 and father of two children, he exhibited regularly, notably at the Salon des Beaux-Arts between 1930 and 1932 and at the Salon des Indépendants in 1948 and 1949. His various travels and the observation of daily life would be driving forces for his inspiration. He feels a deep connection to Brittany, the region where his artistic inspiration is expressed most intensely. From Camaret to Loctudy, via Concarneau, Plougastel and Étel, he captures the variations in light and atmosphere through studies made on the spot. Attracted by the strength of Breton characters, he paints and draws the faces of those whose lives are punctuated by the sea, shaped by the winds and tides. Under his brushes, Brittany becomes a living scene populated by fishermen, net and sail menders, seaweed gatherers, bent under the weight of the seaweed, but always imbued with dignity.