Charles-albert De Saint-genois, Self-portrait With Three Puppets

Charles-Albert de Saint-Genois
French painter of Belgian origin
Avesnelles 1861 – 1918 Asnières-sur-Seine
Self-portrait with three of his marionettes
Oil on canvas : 62,3 X 51,2 cm
Signed bottom right “John Hewelt / (de St Genois)”
Frame : 90,1 X 79,1 cm

Provenance :
- Unsold at Sotheby’s New York, 8/11/12
Estimate : 20.000 - 30.000 $ (+ buyer’s premium)
= 15.618 – 23.427 € (+ buyer’s premium)
- Subsequently with Berko Fine Paintings, Knokke

Over 1 year in stock: enjoy our lower price and absolute transparency
 
Our acquisition price 3.000 €  
Our old price 6.800 €
Our new net price 5.300 €

Our net export price 4.901 €

Our rare painter was the natural son of the Belgian Baronnes Charlotte deSaint-Genois de Grand-Breucq. Under the stage name John Hewelt he was alsoactive as a puppeteer. His astonishing, lively performances were very popularin Paris and also in London. Hewelt sculpted and painted his own marionettesthat perfectly performed in the most amusing way like living creatures.

The three "gringalets" inour painting must represent King Leopold II of Belgium (1835 – 1909), theauthoritarian, anti-French Italian prime minister Francesco Crispi (1818 –1901) and the famous French cabaret singer Yvette Guilbert (1865 – 1944). YvetteGuilbert was of course regularly portrayed by the famous Post-Impressionistpainter, caricaturist and illustrator Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (1864 – 1901)who was also active at the same time as our painter in Montmartre’s cabaretsand café-concerts.

All my paintings stand fully documented on my website:
https://www.jeanmoust.com/categories/art/saint-genois-charles-albert-de/self-portrait-with-three-of-his-marionettes-6027290