Portrait Of Charles Maurras

French School of the early 20th century
Portrait of Charles Maurras (1868-1952)
Charcoal
H. 37.5 cm; W. 27 cm
Signed and dated lower left
Probably (19)09

It would not be of much use to try in a few lines to describe the true personality and ideas of Charles Maurras, often contradictory and prone to controversy. Let us simply say that this man, whose name alone evokes the Action Française and ultra-nationalism, was an intellectual, writer, critic, journalist and ideologue who played an important role within the right and the extreme right in France under the Third Republic. This very beautiful, almost photographic portrait, whose signature has not been deciphered, represents him still young, at just over 40 years old. Originally from Martigues near Marseille, he had published the first issue of the daily newspaper l'Action Française the previous year, in 1908.