Émile Jourdan (30 July 1860, in

Vannes Vannes (; br, Gwened) is a commune in the Morbihan department in Brittany in north-western France. It was founded over 2,000 years ago. History Celtic Era The name ''Vannes'' comes from the Veneti, a seafaring Celtic people who live ...

– 29 December 1931, in

Quimperlé Quimperlé (; ) is a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in northwestern France. Geography Quimperlé is in the southeast of Finistère, 20 km to the west of Lorient and 44 km to the east of Quimper. Historically, it belo ...

) was a French painter who became one of the artists who gathered in the village of

Pont-Aven Pont-Aven (, Breton: 'River Bridge') is a commune in the Finistère department in the Brittany region in Northwestern France. In 2019, it had a population of 2,821. Demographics Inhabitants of Pont-Aven are called ''Pontavenistes'' in French ...

Brittany Brittany (; french: link=no, Bretagne ; br, Breizh, or ; Gallo: ''Bertaèyn'' ) is a peninsula, historical country and cultural area in the west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known as Armorica during the period ...

Early life

Son of Prosper Jourdan, a ranking customs officer, and his wife Aline Paturel, he enjoyed a happy childhood in Vannes in the south of Brittany. He started painting at the age of 16. In 1880, he attended the

École des Beaux-Arts École des Beaux-Arts (; ) refers to a number of influential art schools in France. The term is associated with the Beaux-Arts style in architecture and city planning that thrived in France and other countries during the late nineteenth centur ...

in Paris where he was instructed by William Bouguereau and

Tony Robert-Fleury Tony Robert-Fleury (1 September 18378 December 1911) was a French painter, known primarily for historical scenes. He was also a prominent art teacher, with many famous artists among his students. Biography He was born just outside Paris, and st ...

until 1886. He also went on to study at the Académie Julian. Benefitting from the money he received from his parents, he shared a large studio with fellow student Édouard Michelin."Émile Jourdan (1860–1931)"
''Musée des Beaux-Arts de Pont-Aven''. Retrieved 7 May 2012.

Life in Pont-Aven

In the summer of 1886, he arrived in

where, staying at the Pension Gloanec, he met

Paul Gauguin Eugène Henri Paul Gauguin (, ; ; 7 June 1848 – 8 May 1903) was a French Post-Impressionist artist. Unappreciated until after his death, Gauguin is now recognized for his experimental use of colour and Synthetist style that were distinct fr ...

. He also became of friend of the other artists who had gathered there including

Émile Bernard Émile Henri Bernard (28 April 1868 – 16 April 1941) was a French Post-Impressionist painter and writer, who had artistic friendships with Vincent van Gogh, Paul Gauguin and Eugène Boch, and at a later time, Paul Cézanne. Most of his nota ...

, Ernest de Chamaillard,

Charles Laval Charles Laval (17 March 1862 – 27 April 1894) was a French painter associated with the Synthetic movement and Pont-Aven School. Laval was born in Paris, and was a contemporary and friend of Paul Gauguin and Vincent van Gogh. Gauguin crea ...

and

Henry Moret Henry Moret (12 December 1856 – 5 May 1913) was a French Impressionist painter. He was one of the artists who associated with Paul Gauguin at Pont-Aven in Brittany. He is best known for his involvement in the Pont-Aven artist colony and his ric ...

. He decided to settle in Pont-Aven and lived there until he died in 1931. Influenced by Gauguin, he adopted the Synthetist style of painting and became known as ''le peintre de la lumière'', the painter of light."Emile Jourdan"
''Bretagne.com''. Retrieved 7 May 2012. In 1891, he joined Gauguin and his friends at the Lézaven atelier. He became acquainted with Maxime Maufra at the Hôtel de Bretagne in Pont-Aven where he started a romance with Catherine Guyader, a 19-year-old waitress. In 1892, they set up house together and the following year their son Yann was born to be followed by a daughter, Renée, in 1896, and a second son, Guy, in 1901. After his mother died in 1907, he quickly spent all she left him. Unable to pay his rent, the proprietor expelled him and auctioned off his furniture and paintings. Thereafter he became a pauper, moving between Pont-Aven, Riec-sur-Belon and Moëlan where he was fortunate enough to be supported for a while by friends. After 1910, his paintings became more somber, reflecting his anxiety. Jourdan marine view at twilight

He was soon unable to support his family who left him while he lived in an attic in Pont-Aven. In 1927, he was lucky enough to meet a Mrs. Halley, a rich Australian, who supported him for a year but as he was unwilling to work under her orders, she discontinued her assistance. In 1931, he died in the hospice at Quimperlé, an alcoholic crippled by poverty.

References

Bibliography

*Collectif, ''Émile Jourdan (1860–1931)'', éd. Le Télégramme avec la collaboration du Musée de Pont-Aven, Collection: ''Petite Encyclopédie des Peintres de Bretagne '', 32 p. , *Denise Delouche (ed), ''Pont-Aven et ses peintres. A propos d'un centenaire'', Rennes, Presses Universitaires, 1986 (collection ''Arts de l'Ouest'') 287 p. {{DEFAULTSORT:Jourdan, Emile Post-impressionist painters 19th-century French painters French male painters 20th-century French painters 20th-century French male artists 1860 births 1931 deaths Artists from Vannes Pont-Aven painters 19th-century French male artists