Louis Retru, Pair Of 19th-century Portraits, Thiers, Auvergne

A pair of portraits depicting a man and a woman of high social standing, signed in the upper left corner "L. Retru" for Louis Antoine Retru (1865–1951), a French painter originally from Thiers in the Puy-de-Dôme department. He was a student of Jean-Léon Gérôme, made his debut at the Salon in 1887, and exhibited regularly in local shows. He served as president of the Auvergne Artistic Union and taught at the Clermont-Ferrand School of Fine Arts, which holds some of his works. He is one of the iconic figures of Auvergne’s cultural life.
This couple, dressed in formal attire, undoubtedly hails from the Auvergne upper middle class; yet, a gentle and warm-hearted charm emanates from these portraits.
Good condition,
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