Rare Early 1900's Antique French Charcoal Drawing of Cypress on Paper, Signed by French Artist Maurice de Lambert

Maurice De Lambert (Maurice Walter Edmond Labatt de Lambert) (1873-1953) was a distinguished French illustrator, painter, and engraver, best known for his illustrations of works by Victor Hugo and Guy de Maupassant. His talent and artistic contributions have earned him a place in the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC.

From an early age, Lambert showed a taste and facility for drawing. He honed his skills under the tutelage of renowned artists Gustave Moreau and Georges-Antoine Rochegrosse, and received advice from Albert Besnard and Félix Bracquemond. His early illustration work included illuminations for Victor Hugo's La Légende du Beau and Théophile Gautier's Le Chevalier double.

In addition to his book illustrations, Lambert designed shadows and sets for several Montmartre shows. He produced numerous full-length portraits of actors for the Manzi publishing house, capturing iconic figures such as Sarah Bernhardt, Sacha Guitry, and Réjane, which were published in the magazine Le Théâtre.

Lambert also had a keen interest in the art of typography, designing vignettes for Grasset typefaces. His paintings were widely exhibited both in Paris and internationally, including in Brussels, New York, and Madrid. His versatile artistic legacy continues to be celebrated for its contribution to illustration, painting, and engraving.

Notably in this exquisite rendering of cypress trees, is Lambert's desiere to capture the beauty of scale, so pieced together two sheets of paper - as you can see in the seam in the picture. And to our delight, the reverse of the drawing shows another in progress sketch, which truly gives us insight into the artists methodology. Please note in the photos, this piece shows minor wear and fading which is to be expected for an antique of this period.

All artwork comes professionally framed in a classic gallery style moulding, with a 4" archival, acid-free mat and Acrylite Conservation Glazing, UV filtering technology that protects works of art from the harmful effects of indoor and outdoor UV light rays. The frame moulding is available in 4 finishes upon checkout, with additional mat and frame options available upon request.