Raoul Trémolières (1860-1920), Bather (preparatory Study)

RAOUL TREMOLIERES (1860-1920)
Bather, Preparatory study
Pastel
63 x 50.5 cm
74 x 61.5 cm with frame
Signed and dated 1896 lower left

Born in Besançon, in 1860, Raoul is the son of Xavier Louis, lawyer at the court of Besançon and Mme, née Bolle. The only son of a well-established couple, he lost his father at the age of 14 and soon showed artistic talents. His father and his grandfather, gifted with certain writing skills, were not however his teachers although the memory of Pierre-Charles has been carefully maintained from generation to generation. He married Mme Caroline Lenhardt, of Swiss origin, born in 1858, and had four children, the third of whom was also named Raoul. Despite a certain ease of fortune, the couple will live scantily on the income from drawing and painting courses in schools in the Region. On the other hand, he will be very introduced to the Comtois painters of the region: Pointelin, Courbet, Fanart. His work of great pictorial quality will relate as much to the landscape of the region as to the faces. He will try to rediscover the art of expression of Pierre-Charles Trémolières and sometimes succeeded in doing so. The evolution towards Impressionism will tempt him only very moderately and yet, several of these paintings let point as if by antiphrase of the paws that would not have rejected the moderns. The fire in 1913 of his studio lost most of his works and largely explains the oblivion into which he fell despite the recognition of all the Comtois painters of the time. As the exchange took place a lot between friends, several families from these painters very probably still hold some of his creations today. Location of his works: Pontarlier Museum Besançon Museum Baume les Dames