Draftsmen Symbolism


Victor Elpidiforovich Borisov-Musatov (Russian: Ви́ктор Эльпидифо́рович Бори́сов-Муса́тов) was a distinguished Russian artist celebrated for his unique contribution to the Post-Impressionist movement, combining elements of Symbolism, realism, and a decorative style that was all his own. Born in 1870 in Saratov, Russia, into the family of a former serf, Borisov-Musatov overcame early challenges, including a spinal injury that left him humpbacked, to emerge as a pivotal figure in Russian art. His education spanned the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture, and the Imperial Academy of Arts in Saint-Petersburg, further enriched by studies in Paris under the tutelage of Fernand Cormon. His admiration for French contemporaries, especially Pierre Puvis de Chavannes and Berthe Morisot, profoundly influenced his artistic direction.
Borisov-Musatov is renowned for his lyrical, evocative works that often depict the serene and idyllic life of the 19th-century Russian nobility, set against the backdrop of their estates. This half-illusory world, which he masterfully created, reflects a deep nostalgia and a retreat from the industrial harshness of his time. By integrating figures seamlessly into the landscapes, as seen in masterpieces like "The Pool" (1902) and "The Phantoms" (1903), he achieved a harmony that resonates with viewers for its beauty and tranquility. His use of mixed media, including tempera, watercolor, and pastel, allowed for subtle visual effects, making his works distinctive in their soft, dreamlike quality.
Borisov-Musatov's legacy extends beyond his paintings; he was a significant figure in the Russian Symbolist movement and a founding member of the Moscow Association of Artists. His works, which provide a poignant, poetic commentary on the era he lived in, are celebrated in Russian and international art circles alike. Notable paintings like "The Pool" and "The Phantoms" not only highlight his technical skill but also his ability to evoke emotion and atmosphere, making them favorites among collectors and art enthusiasts.
For collectors and experts in art and antiques, Borisov-Musatov's oeuvre offers a fascinating glimpse into the Russian Symbolist movement and the broader cultural milieu of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His works, preserved in museums and private collections around the world, continue to enchant and inspire.
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Edouard Chimot was a French Art Deco painter, illustrator and editor.
Edouard studied at the Ecole des Arts Décoratifs in Nice and then at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Lille. After the war, he was able to prove himself as an illustrator and master publisher. At the height of the Art Deco heyday, Chimot received a number of commissions to illustrate books with his original engravings, the first of which was the rare book Les Après-Midi de Montmartre with fourteen engravings by Chimot.
In 1920, Édouard Chimot founded his own publishing house, Éditions d'Art Édouard Chimot. Through this venture, he not only continued to create his own art, but also collaborated with other artists and writers to create high quality limited edition books, often with his distinctive illustrations. Édouard Chimot was associated with late Symbolist and decadent culture, and his own work is sometimes referred to as post-Symbolist. His collaborations with famous writers and poets, including Paul Verlaine and Charles Baudelaire, brought his illustrations to the forefront of the Art Nouveau movement.
With the collapse of the financial system in the early 1930s in Europe, the demand for luxury products also fell, but the artist continued to work, produce books and paint. Chimot's artistic style is characterized by sensuality and romanticism. He was an artist of the female figure, style, eroticism and embodied the essence of Art Deco imagery.


Fabrizio Clerici was an Italian painter, draftsman, illustrator, scenographer and architect.
Clerici earned a degree in architecture and was greatly influenced by antiquities, Renaissance and Baroque painting and architecture. In 1943, Clerici held his first solo exhibition at the Galleria dell'Arte Cairola in Milan, featuring drawings, watercolors, lithographs and etchings. His first book illustrations belong to the same period.
In 1947, Clerici began a prolific career in theater, ballet and opera with his debut as a stage designer in a production of George Bernard Shaw's play Mrs. Warren's Profession. The following year he participated for the first time in the Venice Biennale. There he met Salvador Dalí and created the sets and costumes for Igor Stravinsky's Orpheus, which was performed at the La Fenice Theater. In 1949 he created large-scale architectural fantasy paintings.
The further life of the multifaceted artist Fabrizio Clerici was full of work in a variety of fields of art, creative successes and exhibitions. His work has been exhibited in many museums in the United States, including MoMA and the Guggenheim Museum, as well as in France, such as the Pompidou Center.


Pieter Cornelis de Moor, a Dutch artist, stands out as a versatile and innovative figure in the art world. His education at the Academy of Visual Arts in Rotterdam and the Drawing Academy in Antwerp laid the foundation for a career marked by diversity and creativity. De Moor's achievements, including a silver medal in the Prix de Rome in 1887, underline his early recognition and the promise of his artistic journey.
De Moor's artistry was not confined to a single medium; he was adept in drawing, etching, painting, watercolor, producing lithographs, and working as an illustrator. His artworks, ranging from "Dancing Women" to "Poultry on a Yard" and "An Elegant Lady Feeding Peacocks," showcase his broad thematic interests and technical skills. Notably, his works are held in prestigious collections, including the Rijksmuseum and the Dordrechts Museum.
The artist's life was rich with experiences, having worked across Europe and eventually settling in the United States. His legacy, punctuated by exhibitions in museums such as Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen and the Drents Museum, continues to captivate art enthusiasts and collectors.
For collectors and art experts, delving into the works of Pieter Cornelis de Moor offers a unique glimpse into the evolution of Dutch art. His contributions, particularly in the realm of Symbolism, highlight an era of artistic exploration and innovation.
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Gustave Doré, full name Paul Gustave Louis Christophe Doré, was a French painter, sculptor, graphic artist, illustrator, and cartoonist.
Doré was very industrious and prolific: he created more than 10,000 illustrations for art books as well as the Bible. He decorated the works of Rabelais, Balzac, Cervantes, Dante and Milton with his lively drawings, making Doré's name famous. He had a special gift for illustrating nature and fairy tales.


Caspar David Friedrich was a German painter of the late eighteenth and first half of the nineteenth centuries. He is known as a painter, draughtsman, watercolorist and is considered a key figure of early German Romanticism.
Caspar David Friedrich was the leader of the so-called Dresden Romantics, known for their emotionally intense landscapes. The artist himself viewed nature as a reflection of the soul and a symbol of religious experiences, creating works with deep symbolism. He actively used landscape to convey his emotions and used the technique of transporting the viewer into the virtual space of the painting. His works often depicted figures immersed in the contemplation of nature, facing infinity, which created a unique effect.


Nikolai Nikolaevich Ge (Russian: Николай Николаевич Ге) was a distinguished Russian painter, whose contributions to the world of art are celebrated for their emotional depth and philosophical introspection. Born in 1831, Ge's work spans a variety of themes, including religious, historical, and psychological subjects, making him a versatile artist in the realm of 19th-century Russian culture. His paintings are known not just for their aesthetic appeal but also for their ability to provoke thought and evoke deep emotions.
Ge's art is marked by its intense exploration of moral and spiritual questions, distinguishing him from his contemporaries. One of his most famous works, "The Last Supper" (1863), showcases his ability to infuse traditional religious scenes with a new level of emotional intensity and humanism. This painting, along with others like "Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane" (1868), reflects Ge's deep engagement with the themes of suffering, redemption, and the human condition. His approach to these universal subjects has earned him a special place in the canon of Russian art, making his works highly sought after by collectors and experts in art and antiques.
Ge's contributions to art extend beyond his individual works. His commitment to portraying the human experience with honesty and depth has influenced generations of artists. His paintings can be found in prestigious galleries and museums, serving as a testament to his enduring legacy. For collectors and art aficionados, Ge's work represents not only an investment in Russian culture and history but also an ongoing exploration of the depths of human emotion and spirituality.
For those interested in the profound and moving art of Nikolai Nikolaevich Ge, staying informed about new discoveries, sales, and auction events related to his work is essential. Sign up for updates to ensure you never miss an opportunity to engage with the legacy of this remarkable artist. This subscription will exclusively alert you to new product sales and auction events related to Nikolai Nikolaevich Ge, keeping you connected to the very best of Russian art and culture.




Georg Kolbe was a German sculptor of the first half of the twentieth century. He is known as a master of Classicism and Symbolism. Throughout most of his professional career he was an artist in demand by various German authorities.
Georg Kolbe, despite the strong influence of the Expressionists, managed to develop his own unique style. He left a notable mark not only in sculpture, his artistic legacy includes a large number of drawings and hundreds of engravings.
His biography is closely connected with Berlin, where he lived for more than 40 years. Kolbe is named for the prize awarded by the Artists' Union of Berlin. The artist's former studio now houses a museum with permanent solo exhibitions of works by renowned sculptors of modern art.


Fernand Lantoine is a French painter and draughtsman, often associated with the Belgian School.
Without adhering to all the artistic innovations of his time, he constantly developed his painting technique.
This evolution is related to the deep need for renewal in European societies, highly civilised and industrialised but scarred by the horrors of war.
A close friend of Paul Signac, he moved from the neo-impressionist movement with divided brushstrokes and bright, almost fauvist tones, to a symbolist inspiration close to Henri Martin, before opting for a style marked by the pre-eminence of line and structure over colour.


Jeanne Mammen was a twentieth-century German artist. She is known as a graphic artist and draftsman, a representative of modernism, a prominent figure in the artistic life of the Weimar Republic.
Jeanne Mammen developed an artistic style close to the New Materialism school. As she grew older, her work became more symbolic; after 1945, the artist moved towards abstractionism. She worked for fashion magazines, created movie posters, and illustrated erotic poetry. Mammen actively developed collage techniques, as well as creating portraits and caricatures, and sketching street types.


Charles-Clos Olsommer was a Swiss painter and draftsman of French descent. His favorite subjects were women's portraits and landscapes. He was a mystical and symbolic painter, and Olsommer's art echoed the Italian Early Renaissance, icon painting, and Art Nouveau aesthetics.


Pierre Cécile Puvis de Chavannes, a prominent French painter, was known as "the painter for France." His influential mural paintings showcased a classicizing style, often referencing visions of Hellenistic Greece.
Puvis received numerous commissions for public and private institutions across France, with significant works in Amiens, Marseille, Lyon, Poitiers, and Paris. His success as a 'painter for France' stemmed from his ability to appeal to various ideologies of the time. In addition to murals, Puvis created easel paintings, some of which can be found in galleries worldwide. Despite his significance, he was not fully appreciated during his lifetime, and his work remains a subject of ongoing art criticism.


Heinrich Vogeler was a German artist and philosopher, a representative of the German Art Nouveau. A versatile and talented artist, he painted, watercolored, composed poems, designed, designed and decorated. Over time, his style of art changed over a wide range.
During World War I, from 1914 to 1917, Vogeler was on the Eastern Front as a volunteer and made sketches, which resulted in his pacifist sentiments.
In the mid-1920s he visited the Soviet Union several times and his impressions resulted in paintings in his own "complex style: "Karelia and Murmansk" (1926), "Building a New Life in the Soviet Republics of Central Asia" (1927), and "Baku" (1927). In 1931 Vogeler received an invitation to work in the USSR. The coming to power of the Nazis in Germany made it impossible for him to return home, and after Hitler's invasion Vogeler among many was deported to the Kazakh SSR, where he died.