Antoine Calbet (1860-1942) - Naked Woman From The Back - Watercolor And Pencil On Paper

Born in Lot-et-Garonne and a farm servant in his youth, Antoine Calbet chose to pursue an artistic career. He studied at the School of Fine Arts in Montpellier before joining the prestigious studio of Alexandre Cabanel at the School of Fine Arts in Paris. From his classical education, he retains a taste for drawing but abandons history painting in favor of more decorative compositions, in which he celebrates the female nude. This light production did not prevent him from leading an official career, consecrated by several medals at the Salon, a silver medal at the Universal Exhibition of 1900 and the officer's cross of the Legion of Honor. A prolific artist, he presented his works, mainly portraits and genre scenes, at the Salons of the Society of French Artists from 1881 until 1940, as well as at international exhibitions of painting and sculpture organized at the Galerie Georges Petit, from 1895 to 1918. Versatile, as comfortable with watercolors as with pastels, he also joined the Society of French watercolorists in 1903 and that of the pastellists of France from 1911. He also produced many illustrations of books. This watercolor is characteristic of his production of young naked women relaxing in flower gardens or frolicking in waterways, surrounded by idyllic nature, through dreamlike, luminous and joyful variations, which are not without evoke the 18th rococo.