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Expressionistic | portrait of French gentleman reading newspaper

Mid-Century Vintage French Portrait of Gentleman Reading Newspaper, Charcoal on Paper. Signed by French Artist Edouard Righetti, 1948

Mid-Century Vintage French Portrait of Gentleman Reading Newspaper, Charcoal on Paper. Signed by French Artist Edouard Righetti, 1948

Regular price $975.00 USD
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This late 1940's signed charcoal portrait by Edouard Righetti is a beautiful example of Expressionism and Post Impressionistic art in France. Edouard Righetti was a Swiss born Mid-Century artist (b.1924 -2001)) known primarily for his work in painting and printmaking/engraving. Though he was born Swiss (yielding from a family of artists dating back to the 19th century), he moved away early in life and spent most of his life living and creating in France. Righetti created much of his work based on his travels in France (the South, Normandy, Brittany, Haute Savoie, Corsica…) and abroad (Italy, Holland and Spain). He was most known for his stylistic depictions of peasants, animals, landscapes and the sadness of suburbia. 

Édouard Righetti began his artistic career by taking courses at the École des Beaux-Arts in Montpellier. He then continued his training at the School of Decorative Arts in Nice. In 1949, he met the engraver Edouard Goerg and was admitted to the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris in his studio until 1954. There he learned to work with copper, aquatint, etching. at the waist, the drypoint. In 1953 he made a trip to Rome, Florence and Pisa. In 1956 he obtained a two-year scholarship to Casa Velasquez (Madrid). He participates in group exhibitions, among which: 1953, 40,000 years of Modern Art, Paris; 1958,1959, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, Salon Le Trait; 1959, Galerie Greuze, Paris; 1964, Musée des Beaux-Arts, Tours, as well as at the Salon Pointe et Burin and at the Biennale de Paris. He shows his works in personal exhibitions, including: 1951, Menton; 1953, Galerie Eliane Norbert, Paris; 1961, Galerie Bonaparte, Paris; 1963, 1964, Le Nouvel Essor gallery, Paris; 1965, Galerie Bernier, Paris; 1965, Galerie La Gravure, Pully-Lausanne; 1979, retrospective, Palais de l'Europe, Menton; 1985, Bernheim-Guiot gallery, Paris. He moved to his studio on rue Léon-Dierx in 1964. Righetti's first engravings were still lifes and biblical scenes. He also engraved the sadness of the suburbs, melancholy portraits, and several medals for the Monnaie de Paris. The Department of Prints and Photography of the National Library of France keeps more than 200 of his works. His work can also be found in several private collections and public museums such as The Museum of Modern Art in Paris. Righetti is a listed and frequently auctioned artist who's work is widely collected in both private and public institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art in Paris.

Expressionism is defined as a modernist movement originating in Northern Europe around the beginning of the 20th century This term refers to the movement which manipulates the visual elements of an image to convey intense subjective feelings. In Expressionist art, color is highly intense, brushwork is free and application is heavy or textured.

This expressionistic and exquisite Parisian portrait in charcoal/conte is a wonderful example of the characters in everyday Parisian life in the 1940's. The bottom of the work is signed "Paris 1948, Ed Righetti" 

This piece is in very good shape, showing only the natural aging of paper that happens with an artwork of this time period. The artwork comes professionally framed with a gallery style moulding and 4" archival, acid-free mat and Acrylite Conservation Glazing, filtering out 99% of harmful UV light. Frame style/color selection available upon checkout, with additional mat and frame options available upon request. 


Material: charcoal, paper

Size: 16" x 20"

Condition: Good Condition, Original Condition Unaltered, Some Imperfections

Our Process

Our curator has a decades-long résumé in design and development and as a fine artist with an enviable number of passport stamps from around the globe.

Every piece comes with acid-free, custom archival mattes and foam core backings, ready to be framed and hung. Pieces are carefully packed and shipped direct-to-you from our studio.

Each piece is passionately selected with a goal of salvaging artistic works that might otherwise be lost — restoring their rightful place as unique expressions of beauty in our collective history.

Shipping & Delivery Information

All artwork is sent via UPS ground unless otherwise requested by the customer. Please note that all shipments are based on dimensions and weight – so please consider prior to purchasing. 

All artwork is shipped in 14-21 days depending on the order details. Once orders are placed we will begin your custom mats and/or framing needs. Shipment timeframes are calculated based on stock availability of mat and frame materials. We do our best to get everything out to as quick as possible! We know purchases are exciting! Should you have needs for an expedited order, please contact the studio directly at cory@provenance-studio.com

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