Adrien Thévenot (1898–1942), Still Life With A Bouquet Of Flowers, 1934, Oil On Panel

Born in 1898 in Rougemont-le-Château in the Belfort region, Adrien Camille Thévenot settled in Paris in 1920 after being called to arms during World War I. He enrolled at the Académie Julian, where he received his initial artistic training under the Laurens brothers, Paul-Albert and Jean-Pierre. He exhibited at the Salon des Indépendants beginning in 1923 and at the Salon des Artistes Français beginning in 1928, where his work was praised by critics and his nudes were very well received. That same year, he won the Maguelonne Lefebvre-Glaize Prize. He also received an honorable mention in 1929 and a silver medal in 1931.

A painter of figures, genre scenes, and still lifes, Adrien Thévenot excelled in the depiction of women. In 1930, *La Nouvelle Revue* praised Thévenot. Classically trained, Adrien Thévenot demonstrated a deep knowledge of the masters and must have studied Poussin at length, without neglecting the Florentines and Le Brun. He was also a student of two champions of high art: the Laurens brothers. The painter knew how to steer clear of the pitfalls of academicism. From the methodical teaching of the Academy, he knew how to reject what bordered on sterile technique. A very confident, highly refined draftsmanship animates the supple forms of his nudes. He has truly grasped the lessons of Albert Laurens. At times, Thévenot turns to everyday life, painting thoroughly contemporary rustic scenes with a natural, effortless, and charming grace, as if to reveal the many facets of a prolific talent, rich in qualities and seemingly on the verge of reaching its full potential.