Oil on panel, *The Bird and the Magician* by Guillaume ALAUX
Oil on panel, *The Bird and the Magician* by Guillaume ALAUX
1.000,00 €
Guillaume Alaux (1856–1912)
Our piece has a label on the back with the exhibition number 1379
is a painter and pastel artist known for his portraits, landscapes,
Born into a family of artists in Bordeaux, he is the son of architect Gustave Alaux, the grandson of painter Jean-Paul Alaux, and the great-grandson of painter Pierre-Joseph Alaux, which immersed him in a rich artistic environment from a very early age.
He continued his training at the École nationale des Beaux-Arts in Paris, where he studied under renowned masters such as Léon Bonnat, Fernand Humbert, and Henri Gervex, acquiring a solid mastery of drawing, portraiture, and academic painting.
Further information
| Dimensions | 32 × 23 cm |
|---|
Here he depicts a theatrical-looking figure wearing a top hat—a magician.
In his right hand, a small bird looks curiously at the peacock feather he is waving in front of him with his other hand. On the table in the foreground, playing cards are scattered about.
The magician’s face is rendered with almost photographic precision:
The skin tone, rosy cheeks, wrinkles, and mischievous smile convey a subtle, vivid realism that echoes the theatrical joviality often associated with this profession, while capturing a poetic and tender moment between the master and his bird.
The color palette is warm and subtle: earthy browns and ochres for the suit, a bright white for the shirt, and the iridescent green of the feather immediately catches the eye.
In the 1910 issue of *Littéraire*, we read
"A student of Bonnat, his style is less harsh than that of his master. Thanks to the vigor and precision of his drawing, the harmony of his color—both sombre and luminous—and the flexibility of his artistic temperament, which adapts to his subjects, Guillaume Alaux deserves a mention."
