Paul Elie Gernez (1888–1948) Boats At The Dock

Paul-Élie Gernez was born on January 27, 1888, in Onnaing.

Early in his career, Paul-Élie Gernez was drawn to Cubism, but later returned to a more classical figurative style, focusing on landscapes, still lifes, seascapes, and floral still lifes. He drew his inspiration primarily from Honfleur, where he spent many periods of time. He quickly realized that he had found what he was looking for there: peace and quiet, work that allowed him to make a living but left him time to paint, and above all, the atmosphere of the estuary so beloved by Eugène Boudin.

Gernez worked tirelessly and sought to complete his daily “exercises” by producing numerous drawings. In the same vein, he created two to four watercolors a day. He worked from life, creating nudes, still lifes, and landscapes. Gernez divides his time between Paris and Honfleur, which he never leaves for long. In 1932, he was named a Knight of the Legion of Honor. Museums in France and abroad purchased his works. He illustrated two books of etchings: *Génitrix* by François Mauriac (1925) and *Le Chemin de paradis* by Charles Maurras (1927).

In 1942, illness forced him to rest. His pace slowed, but he continued to work. Paul-Élie Gernez died on September 6, 1948.