'The Cabaret Rehearsal' by Charles Camoin (circa 1920s - 1930s)

'The Cabaret Rehearsal', pastel on art paper, by Charles Camoin (circa 1920s - 1930s). Charles Camoin was known for his paintings of the cabaret scene and this work of art captures a glimpse in time from early 20th Century France. In this depiction, a group of ladies in revealing garb and with varying degrees of enthusiasm, attend to their dance rehearsal. Some simply chat amongst themselves whilst others undertake their lesson with gusto. The matronly pianist plays the sheet music in front of her diligently but nonchalantly, responding to the indifference of some of the women. On the reverse side of this artwork is another light sketch of dancing ladies (see accompanying photo taken prior to it being reframed. The evident overlap and joining at the bottom of the work reveals the continuation of the painting and the signature of the artist. The artwork has been rehoused in an antique, Victorian-era gilded frame with museum quality glass. Signed: 'Ch Camoin'. Upon request a video of the work will be provided.

About the Artist: Charles Camoin (1879 - 1965), under the tutelage of Gustave Moreau he worked in a variety of genres, including landscape, portraiture, still life, the nude, and seascapes, and was considered a practitioner of both the Post-Impressionist and the Fauvist styles. He started his career painting street scenes and images of the cabarets. It was through Gustave Moreau’s studio, however, that he was later introduced to Matisse, amongst others, with whom he maintained close correspondence. It was this group of artists that was to be at the forefront of Fauvism, and it was Camoin’s associations with them that prompted his own introduction to the style. In 1900, Camoin began military service that brought him to Arles, where he painted in the style of Van Gogh, and later to Aix in 1902, where he frequently saw Cézanne and adopted many of his stylistic techniques. It was also Cezanne that introduced Camoin to Monet at his home in Giverny.

With a strong network of artists surrounding him, and a quickly blossoming future, Camoin exhibited for the first time at the Salon des Artistes Independants in 1903, and by 1904 had his first solo exhibition in Paris at the Galerie Berthe Weill. In 1905 Camoin took part in the “cage aux fauves” at the Salon d’Automne, exhibiting alongside artists such as Matisse and Derian. The following ten years consisted of a number of excursions to London, Frankfurt, Italy, Naples, Capri, Tangiers, and to Morocco with Matisse. Camoin exhibited regularly at the Salons and at galleries, and was honoured with three retrospective exhibitions in both France and the United States. The year 1913 marked his participation in the historic Armory Show in New York City. In the 1950s he was received at the Biennale, was made an officer of the Legion d’Honneur, and was named Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters.

Maintaining two studios, one in Montmartre, and one in St. Tropez, Camoin devoted the former to painting still life, nudes, and portraits, and employed the latter for painting views of the harbour, walkways, and landscapes he could see out his studio window.  As a young artist his oeuvre was characterised by vigorous facture, generosity of paint, and lively colours, all denoting the provincial tradition. After his trips with Marquet and Matisse however, Camoin’s work evolved, favouring a subordination of colour to light. As an artist he never fully adhered to the style of Fauvism or Post-impressionism, but rather seemed to have balanced between the two, often relying on their theories rather than their mandates of technique.

After his death in 1965, in Paris, Camoin was represented in a large Fauvist exhibition that traveled to Tokyo, Paris, Munich, and Malines. His work was also exhibited in several posthumous solo shows in his birth town of Marseille as well as in Nice. Museums which hold his works include: Toulouse-Lautrec Museum, Albi, France; Museum of the Annunciation in St. Tropez, France; Museum of New Mexico, Santa Fe; National Museum of Modern Art, Paris; Museum of Fine Art, Grasse; National Gallery, Berlin; Museum of Modern Art, Bonn. Camoin's works at the major auction houses fetch very significant sums in recognition of the quality of his art and the company he kept in the world of art from that era. 

Dimensions with frame:

H 57.5 cm / 22.6"

W 77.5 cm / 30.5"

Dimensions without frame:

H 31 cm /  12.2"

W 49.5 cm / 19.5"