Jacques Émile Blanche

Jacques-Émile Blanche (1861-1942) was a French painter born in Paris. He enjoyed an excellent cosmopolitan education, being brought up at Passy in a house once belonging to the Princesse de Lamballe, which still retained the atmosphere of 18th century elegance and refinement and influenced his taste and work. Although he received some instruction in painting from Henri Gervex, he may be regarded as self-taught. He acquired a great reputation as a portrait painter; his art is derived from French and English sources, refined, sometimes super-elegant, but full of character. Among his chief works are his portraits of his father, of Marcel Proust, of the poet Pierre Louÿs, the Thaulow family, Aubrey Beardsley and Yvette Guilbert.