'The Chair' by Charles Auguste Edelmann (circa 1930s)

'The Chair', pastel on coloured fine art paper, (circa 1930s), by Charles Auguste Edelmann (1879 - 1950). The quality of this work and skill of the artist is unquestionable. The painting depicts a woman having just returned home after a long day's work. She disrobes, sits on the nearest chair and takes time out to massage her exhausted feet. The scene is beautifully captured and impeccably executed and, given its origins, ahead of its time as an homage to working urban women during a period when such toil outside of the home was euphemistically dubbed 'modern'. In excellent vintage condition commensurate with its age. In original frame and newly glazed. A short video of this work is available upon request. 

About the Artist: Charles Auguste Edelmann (1879 - 1950), originally from Alsace, explored all manner of subjects from nudes to still lifes and from portraits to landscapes. He worked in several media including oils, pastel, watercolours and drawing. Although extensively known as a painter, he was also an engraver and a particularly prolific illustrator. The artist was born in 1879 in Soultz-Sous-Forêts and had a rigid upbringing which, perhaps, helped give birth to his artistic creation. On the strength of his solid apprenticeships, he exhibited his works in the Paris Salon for the first time in 1909. He became a member of the association of French artists in 1912 but got caught up in WW1. As a result of his heroics, he was awarded the French Legion of Honour. After the war, Edelmann became well known for his portraits of modern urban women. His sketches of nudes demonstrate a great mastery of the form and art critics at the time heaped much praise upon his works and skill. As a result, his paintings found their way to many prestigious addresses such as the Elysee Palace, the home of the French President, the Chamber of Deputies and several Parisian embassies. The artist's later works of French landscapes are very rare but highly praised for their "breadth, power and an uncommon simplicity." Finally, Edelmann illustrated many works of great writers such as Balzac, Musset, Courteline, Kessel and Wilde. He died in Paris in 1950 at the age of 71. His works are internationally collected and have been the subject of private and public exhibitions as well as having sold at the major auction houses since the 1980s. 

Dimensions with frame:

H  66 cm

W  54.5 cm

Dimensions without frame:

H  52.5 cm

W  40 cm