Barbichon Augustin (1855-1917) - At The Organ - Watercolor

Watercolor under glass by Augustin Barbichon in a gilded wooden frame presented at the 48th Versailles Exhibition of 1901 under the number 340 and receiving an honorable mention, the label of which is still visible on the reverse. One of the rare exhibitions to have taken place at the Orangerie.

Augustin Barbichon was born in 1855 in Morey, he enlisted at the age of 18 in a squadron of the train of the carriages as a saddler worker. Subsequently, he became a painter in Nevers after 1883 when his wife brought him her family earthenware factory as a dowry, which he ran until its closure. He became a member of the French Photographic Society in 1892, then set up as a photographer in Versailles in 1893 at 19 rue Saint-Pierre as mentioned in the 1901 exhibition catalog. Barbichon was also a member of the organizing association there. On the back of his photos and paintings, he presents himself as "Artist Painter Photographer, successor of Jeannon, Guerronnan and Philippon". Furthermore, he had a branch in Brou which he closed in 1899. Barbichon died in Versailles in 1917.

An organist plays the Cavaillé-Coll organ installed between 1873 and 1938, on a wooden platform surmounted by a music stand for scores which no longer exists. The case behind him was made in 1710 by the architect Robert de Cotte, in agreement with other ornamentalists. The Case extends the altarpiece of the high altar and provides a link with the "Resurrection of Christ" painted on the vault by Charles de la Fosse. On the corners are two motifs of palm trees with chubby cherubs around a bas-relief depicting "King David playing the harp" placed on the door opening onto the original 18th-century Clicquot keyboard. Designed in white and gold, several frames show us instruments, zither and viola da bracchio tangled in entwined foliage topped with knots. In a side cartouche, two intertwined Ls remind us of its sponsor Louis XIV, as do the winged victories supporting the royal crown and encircling the King's coat of arms.

Signed A.BARBICHON 1901 lower right.


Sources :
- Yves Lebrec & Bernard Choque "The first century of photography in Eure-et-Loir. Dictionary of Eurelian photographers (1839-1939).
- Gallica "Commercial Archives of France" of March 29, 1893.
- Catalogue Exposition Versaillaise de 1901
https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k940624v/f56.item.texteImage