Marcel Leprin (1891-1933) Faubourg Montmartre

Painting oil on canvas from the Art Deco period around 1920 signed LEPRIN (Marcel Leprin 1891-1933) depicting the Faubourg Montmartre towards the rue de l'Abreuvoir animated by mansions built between the 18th and 19th centuries. Original Art Deco period frame in patinated gilded wood with stepped pattern. Good general condition, dimensions 55 cm X 45 cm. Marcel Leprin was born in Cannes on February 12, 1891, died in Paris on January 27, 1933. Raised by an uncle who was a hardware dealer in Marseille, he was entrusted to an orphanage, where he was introduced to lithography. He was taken in by a lady Smadja, a tradeswoman from the red-light districts of Marseilles, in reality, owner of a brothel in Marseilles. He began painting with bullfighting scenes which he exhibited in brothels in Marseille. He made the acquaintance of Gen Paul whom he introduced into the shady milieu he frequented. Marcel went to Paris in 1921, and frequented Pascin whom he had known in Marseille with Ignacio Zuluoga, Paco Durrio, Dimitrio Galanis Edmond Heuzé and Max Jacob who had hosted him (and managed to convert him to the Catholic religion). Immediately adopted by the artistic Montmartre, he obtained some success and participated in various exhibitions, he decorated directly on the wall, the large room of the restaurant of the Butte at "La mère Catherine" who exchanged paintings for him meals. His friend Pierre Bureau the framer of the rue Rocheechouart organized after his death several exhibitions at the museum of Montmartre where he had lived at Chaudois. He had also lived at 27 rue Tholozé, and 18 rue Véron. Part of his life remained mysterious according to his friends, he sometimes made "descents" to Marseille, and returned dressed like a prince, his pockets sewn with gold, he then generously sprinkled the customers of La Taverne du Moulin on general tours. . In 1930, he then returned to the provinces from where he brought back many works. Some episodes of his life are both detective novels, and others could figure in novels by Henri Murger: After leaving Marseilles, Leprin was harassed by Lady Smadja, owner of a brothel and her friends from the middle, in order to bring him back into the Marseille fold, she organized expeditions and went to Paris with her clan. The writer Francis Carco (The painters' friend) who frequented the same places as Leprin, got wind of the story, and told it in "Paris-Soir". Madame Smadja made her a resounding trial where honest shopkeepers, an old religious woman, a representative of the prefect, and even a senator came specially by plane to testify: "they took up Madame Smadja's praises in their hearts". The complaint was dismissed for defect of form. We don't really know the ties that united them, but the fact remains that Marcel still lived under the influence of his former protectors. His immense talent and the importance of his work make him one of the most outstanding painters of this period. Leprin's paintings are mainly visible today at the National Museum of Modern Art and at the Museum of Modern Art of the City of Paris, at the Carnavalet Museum, at the Montmartre Museum and at the Petit Palais in Geneva. Literature: André Roussard, the dictionary of painters in Montmartre, Roussard editions, Paris 1999. 13 rue du Mont Cenis 75009 Paris. And the superb tribute paid by: Pierre Bureau, Marcel Leprin, edition Mayer Paris 1984. some art bookstores)