Louis Anquetin was a French painter associated with the Post-Impressionist movement. Known for his depictions of Paris at night in the Cloisonnism style, Anquetin worked closely with notable artists such as Vincent van Gogh, Paul Gauguin, and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. Alongside Émile Bernard, he developed the post-Impressionist painting style called cloisonnism, which drew inspiration from stained glass and Japanese ukiyo-e art. While Anquetin initially remained active in the Impressionist movement, his later years saw a shift towards studying the methods of Old Masters, resulting in works that were Rubensian and allegorical in nature. He also authored a book on Rubens.
Quick Facts
- Born Country: France
- Died on: August 19, 1932
- Place of death: Paris, France
- French Celebrities Born In January
- Died At Age: 71
- Artists
- French Men
Childhood & Early Life
Louis Anquetin was born on January 26, 1861, in Étrépagny, France, as the only child of George Anquetin, a wealthy butcher, and his wife Rose-Felicite Chauvet. Encouraged by his parents, Anquetin started drawing at an early age and soon developed an interest in art.
He enrolled at the Lycée Pierre Corneille in Rouen in 1872 and completed his graduation from there in 1880. During his tenure at school, he met Edouard Dujardin and the two became friends.
Early Career
After a brief military service, Anquetin resolved to become an artist. He convinced his parents and relocated to Paris in 1882. There he started taking art lessons at the studio of French portrait painter Léon Bonnat. Anquetin met Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec at the studio of Bonnat. A year later, Anquetin and Toulouse-Lautrec came under the tutelage of Fernand Cormon, a leading historical painter of modern France. There they met and became friends with Émile Bernard and Vincent Van Gogh.
Anquetin commenced his artistic career under the guidance of Van Gogh with whom he developed a good friendship. Anquetin and Bernard worked in a workshop in 1884 and Anquetin discovered Impressionism in the following year after meeting French painter Claude Monet.
Cloisonnism and Later Works
Anquetin and Bernard developed a style of post-Impressionist painting around 1887 called cloisonnism. The style included the use of bold and flat forms separated by dark contours, inspired by stained glass and Japanese ukiyo-e art. Anquetin rose to prominence with his Cloisonnism style artworks.
Anquetin visited Belgium and Holland in 1894 and was greatly influenced by Old Master paintings. He eventually opted to study the techniques of the Old Masters and abandoned the modern movements. His rejection of modern art and switch to classicism led other artists and critics to turn their back on him.
Anquetin was of the opinion that the Old Masters had a deep understanding of anatomy which allowed them to paint figures without the requirement of models. He studied anatomy for two years from 1894 and experimented with oil techniques. His later works became more classical and allegorical in nature.
Personal Life and Legacy
In 1906, Anquetin married Berthe Coquinot, widow of an officer. He died on August 19, 1932, and by that time, he was nearly forgotten. A few months before Anquetin died, his friend Bernard created his portrait as a token of admiration.