Maurice Ehlinger 1896-1981: "female Nude; A Modern Desnuda Maja" Titian, Francisco Goya Etc...

Maurice Ehlinger 1896-1981: "Female nude; A modern Maja desnuda" oil on canvas signed lower left, dimensions 46 x 55 cm Maurice Ambroise Ehlinger, born September 25, 1896 in Champagney (Haute-Saône) and died August 26 1981 in Belfort (Belfort), is a French painter and sculptor1,2. The Ehlinger family, established from the 16th century in Mollau and Saint-Amarin in the Thur valley and former principality of the Murbach abbey, in particular multiplied from Antoine Ehlinger, who died in 1675. Louis Ehlinger (1858 – 1919), the father of Maurice Ehlinger, opted to remain French in 1871. He joined the 35th line in Belfort until he obtained the rank of warrant officer. Louis Ehlinger married in 1893 to Désirée Valot (1867-1953), daughter of a farmer from Baudoncourt (Haute-Saonne), they had four children, Germaine (1893 – 1972) Maurice (born and died in 1894), Maurice ( 1896 – 1981) and finally Marcel (1900 – 1965). Louis Ehlinger retired in 1894 and became a tobacconist receiver successively in Champagney, Moyenmoutier and Saint-Dié. Called up to the army in 1914, he was appointed captain of the territorial and set up trenches at the Ballon d'Alsace in August 1914. Having stayed on the front line in a flooded cellar at the Alspach bridge, he caught cold and eventually died. in Saint-Dié on September 25, 1919. He was the holder of the military medal. Biography Maurice Ehlinger was born in Champagney in 1896, from a father Louis Ehlinger (1858-1919), retired soldier and tobacconist receiver, and from a mother Désiré Valot (1867-195x), daughter of farmers from Baudoncourt in Haute Saone. They already have a daughter, Germaine, born in 1893 in Baudoncourt, Maurice's older sister, and a little Maurice, born in 1894 in Belfort and who died prematurely in Belfort the same year. The family moved to Moyenmoutier in the Vosges, where his younger brother Marcel (1900-1965), future Centralien and engineer, was born. Maurice Ehlinger begins to draw with the advice of Camille Braun, painter and decorator. Then settled in Saint-Dié-des-Vosges, he obtained a scholarship from the city to enter the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Nancy in 1911 at the age of 14, where he had Master Jules Larcher. In 1916, he was mobilized and transferred to the 121st heavy artillery regiment where he was master pointer. Its captain is Jean Borotra. He will be gassed at the chemin des dames, in position in the Vosges above Mittlach. He will participate in the Battle of Guise. Demobilized in 1921, he went to Paris and entered the Ecole Supérieure des Beaux Arts in Paris in the studio of François Flameng, who was succeeded in 1923 by Lucien Simon. Having become a drawing teacher for the city of Paris, he first settled in a studio at 56 rue Blanche, in the 9th arrondissement. Then successively at 152 and 156 boulevard du Montparnasse in the 14th arrondissement. Married on October 15, 1928 in Notre-Dame-des-Champs with Renée Virginie Erard, he will have two children. Christian born on January 7, 1931 and Dominique born on May 6, 1934. He will also have another workshop in his wife's family home in Andelnans, territory of Belfort, where he will spend every summer. Demobilized in 1940 before the German advance, he took refuge in Mirabel, near Montauban. In 1941, he spent holidays in Amboise where he visited the Clos Lucé, the last home of Leonardo da Vinci. From November 13 to 17, 1944, Saint-Dié was burned down by the Germans. The house where the artist's mother and sister live is one of the last to burn, on Place Saint Martin. Most of Maurice's early works disappeared, as well as the large portrait of his wife, bought by the city for the Museum. Following this disaster, Maurice Ehlinger will paint on the motif a series of landscapes of the ruins of the city, currently kept at the Pierre Noël Museum. Maurice Ehlinger will mainly paint commissioned portraits and nudes. He died in Belfort on August 26, 1981 at the age of 84. Maurice Ehlinger had for Masters: Jules Larcher, François Flameng, Lucien Simon, Jules Adler. And for students: His eldest son Christian Ehlinger and Raymond Joly Works and awards All his life Maurice Ehlinger was faithful to the Salon of French artists where he exhibited from 1922 until 1981. He obtained the silver medal in 1928, and in 1941 the gold medal, out of competition. He becomes a member of the jury committee. He was secretary of the Taylor Foundation. In 1937, he painted the portrait of actress Ginette Leclerc, exhibited at the Galerie Charpentier in Paris. He will take part in the election of Miss Paris, Sonia Bessis, dancer of the Opera, of which he will make the portrait. ., Fantasy (nude) and La Forge3. Several of his works are exhibited at the Pierre-Noël museum in Saint-Dié-des-Vosges4. Le Lac Blanc, 1922, oil on canvas, 65 x 54 cm, Gray (Haute-Saône), Baron-Martin Museum. Bouquet of Flowers, Oil on canvas, Museum of Fine Arts of Strasbourg. Portrait of Monsignor Weber, Museum of Religious Arts of Alsace in Rouffach Portrait of Mme André Rollin, Oil on canvas, 195 x 97 cm, Musée de la porte Thann, Cernay Several of his works are on display at the Pierre Noël museum in Saint- Dié des Vosges including “Youth”, “the skier” as well as terracotta in particular the busts of his wife and his children Christian and Dominique. Portrait of his father as a captain and portrait of the daughter of the Alsatian painter Derulle, Serret museum in Saint-Amarin “Floral smile” 81 x 65 cm, Museum of Fine Arts in Troyes “Martiniquais” 55 x 46 cm, Museum of Negritude in Champagney Three barges at Botans, 35 x 46 cm. Menal Museum, Hericourt. Since 1936 Serenity – 1970. 130 x 162 cm. Museum of Art and History. Belfort The mountaineer, 130 x 97 cm. Heimatvereinigung Museum. Grindelwald, Canton of Bern, Switzerland. Myself as a soldier, self-portrait, 116 x 89 – Musée de Luneville. Two watercolours, Hôtel des Invalides, Army Museum, Paris, 1940 Wikipedia