Pierre Agnès (1898-1964), Self-portrait With A Cigarette In The Studio

Pierre AGNES (1898-1964) Self-Portrait with a Cigarette in the Studio, oil on paper mounted on cardboard. Studio stamp on the back. Dimensions: 32.5 x 25.8 cm. Dimensions with frame: 45 x 38 cm. The artist: Pierre 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 produced numerous sketches of the front. Returning to civilian life, he worked as a draftsman and decorator, while continuing 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 were a driving force for his inspiration. He feels deeply connected to Brittany, the region where his artistic inspiration finds its most intense expression. From Camaret to Loctudy, passing through Concarneau, Plougastel, and Étel, he captures the variations of light and atmosphere through studies done from life. Drawn to the strength of the Breton character, he paints and draws the faces of those whose lives are dictated by the sea, shaped by the winds and tides. Under his brush, Brittany becomes a vibrant scene populated by fishermen, net and sail menders, and seaweed gatherers, bent under the weight of the seaweed, yet always imbued with dignity.