Charles Bargue

The Chess Game, by Charles Bargue

Charles Bargue (c. 1826/1827 – April 6, 1883) was a French artist, a lithographer as well as a painter, who devised a drawing course.

Life and career

Charles Bargue is mostly remembered for his Cours de dessin, one of the most influential classical drawing courses conceived in collaboration with Jean-Léon Gérôme. The course, published between 1866 and 1871 by Goupil & Cie, and composed of 197 lithographs printed as individual sheets, was to guide students from plaster casts to the study of great master drawings and finally to drawing from the living model.

Among the artists whose work is based on the study of Bargue's platework, is Vincent van Gogh who copied the complete set in 1880/1881, and (at least a part of it) again in 1890.

Although some sources suggest that Bargue was a student of Gerome, there is room for doubt. Bargue worked closely with Gérôme and was influenced by his style, which included Orientalist scenes and historical genre. Bargue's last painting was completed by Gérôme and is now conserved in the Malden Public Library, Malden MA, USA.

References

• Ackerman, Gerald M., (ed.) & Parrish, Graydon: Charles Bargue avec le concours de Jean-Léon Gérôme: Cours de dessin, French edition, 2003 ISBN 2-86770-165-1

External links

• Artencyclopedia.com page on Bargue
• The art of drawing: Dahesh Museum of Art : exhibition
• Works by Charles Bargue at the Art Renewal Center
• Goupil Museum [1]

Persondata
Name	Bargue, Charles
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth
Place of birth
Date of death	1883
Place of death