Blanche-Augustine Camus (27 October 1884 – 1968) was a French

neo-impressionist Neo-Impressionism is a term coined by French art critic Félix Fénéon in 1886 to describe an art movement founded by Georges Seurat. Seurat's most renowned masterpiece, '' A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte'', marked the beginn ...

painter, associated with the style of

Divisionism Divisionism, also called chromoluminarism, is the characteristic style in Neo-Impressionist painting defined by the separation of colors into individual dots or patches that interact optically..Homer, William I. ''Seurat and the Science of Pain ...

, noted for her luminous landscapes and gardens of the south of France, often combined with graceful outdoor portraits of her family and friends. Born in Paris, she studied at the

Académie Julian The () was a private art school for painting and sculpture founded in Paris, France, in 1867 by French painter and teacher Rodolphe Julian (1839–1907). The school was active from 1868 through 1968. It remained famous for the number and qual ...

and the

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

from 1902 to 1908 with

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 ...

Jules Joseph Lefebvre Jules Joseph Lefebvre (; 14 March 183624 February 1911) was a French painter, educator and theorist. Early life Lefebvre was born in Tournan-en-Brie, Seine-et-Marne, on 14 March 1836. He entered the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Ar ...

and Adolphe Déchenaud. She first exhibited at the

Salon des Artistes Français The Salon (), or rarely Paris Salon (French: ''Salon de Paris'' ), beginning in 1667 was the official art exhibition of the in Paris. Between 1748 and 1890 it was arguably the greatest annual or biennial art event in the Western world. At the ...

in 1911, winning the gold medal in 1920, and continuing until 1939. Her work first appeared at the

Galerie Georges Petit Georges Petit (; 11 March 1856 – 12 May 1920) was a French art dealer, a key figure in the Paris art world and an important promoter and cultivator of Impressionist artists. Early career Petit was the son of François Petit, who founded the ...

in 1912 and received an enthusiastic review from André Warnod in ''Comoedia'': ''"Des toiles tout illuminées de soleil, un soleil chaud, vibrand, réchauffant, qui resplendit sur les fleurs rouge des jardins, éclate en grandes taches de lumière sur le sable des allées."'' ("These canvases are illuminated by the sun, a warm, vibrant warming sun shining on the red flowers of the gardens, bursting into large pools of light on the sand of the paths.") She also exhibited at the

Bernheim-Jeune Bernheim-Jeune gallery is one of the oldest art galleries in Paris. Opened on Rue Laffitte in 1863 by Alexandre Bernheim (1839-1915), friend of Delacroix, Corot and Courbet, it changed location a few times before settling on Avenue Matignon. ...

gallery. She moved to Saint-Tropez in 1908 and from then on mostly worked in southern France, where she was associated with

Henri-Jean Guillaume Martin Henri-Jean Guillaume "Henri" Martin (; 5 August 1860 – 12 November 1943) was a French Painting, painter. Elected to the Académie des Beaux-Arts in 1917, he has been described as a prolific master whose work has touches of melancholy, dreamines ...

and

André Dunoyer de Segonzac André Dunoyer de Segonzac (6 July 1884 – 17 September 1974) was a French painter and graphic artist. Biography Segonzac was born in Boussy-Saint-Antoine and spent his childhood there and in Paris. His parents wanted him to attend the military ...

. She was made a Chevalier of the

Légion d'honneur The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and Civil society, civil. Currently consisting of five cl ...

Family

Camus was the daughter of the pharmacist and botanist

Edmond Gustave Camus Edmond Gustave Camus (1852 – 22 August 1915) was a French pharmacist and botanist known for his work with orchids. A pharmacist by vocation, he was a resident of L'Isle-Adam, Val-d'Oise, L'Isle-Adam, a community near Paris. He was the father of ...

(1852–1915), known for his work with orchids. Her sister was the botanist

Aimée Antoinette Camus Aimée Antoinette Camus (1 May 1879 – 17 April 1965) was a French botanist. She was best known for her study of orchids and oaks. Camus also has the legacy of authoring the second highest number of land plant species among female scientist ...

(1879–1965). Throughout her life she remained close to her sister, and after their father's death in 1915, the sisters explored the Pyrénées, and joined expeditions around the Mediterranean region including Turkey.

Sale room and collections

Paintings by Blanche Camus appear regularly in the sale room. The record for a work by the artist, held by Christie's, London, for ''Harvest in Provence'' (sold for 28,617 euros in 2003), was broken by ''Pique-nique au jardin'' (''Tea in the Garden'', 1920), sold in Barcelona in February 2019 for 94,965 euros. Paintings by the artist are held by the

Museum of Fine Arts and Archeology of Besançon A museum is an institution dedicated to displaying or Preservation (library and archive), preserving culturally or scientifically significant objects. Many museums have exhibitions of these objects on public display, and some have private colle ...

, Musée Denon in

Chalon-sur-Saône Chalon-sur-Saône (, literally ''Chalon on Saône'') is a city in the Saône-et-Loire Departments of France, department in the Regions of France, region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté in eastern France. It is a Subprefectures in France, sub-prefectu ...

Musée de la Chartreuse de Douai The Musée de la Chartreuse is an art museum in a former Carthusian monastery in Douai, France. It is the 'musée des Beaux-Arts' for the city. Building Built by Jacques d'Abancourt in brick and stone in the Renaissance style, on the site of ...

Museum of Fine Arts of Lyon The Museum of Fine Arts of Lyon (, ) is a municipal museum of fine arts in the French city of Lyon. Located near the Place des Terreaux, it is housed in a former Benedictine convent which was active during the 17th and 18th centuries. It was res ...

Musée des Beaux-Arts de Nice The Musée des Beaux-Arts de Nice in Nice, France at 33 av. des Baumettes was built in the former private mansion built in 1878 by the Russian Princess, . Named for the artist Jules Chéret who lived and worked in Nice during his final years, th ...

and Musée des Beaux-Arts de Pau.Le Jour ni l’Heure 5702 : Blanche Camus, 1884-1968, Intérieur ensoleillé, 1925, Musée des Beaux-Arts de Pau
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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Camus, Blanche-Augustine 1884 births 1968 deaths 20th-century French painters École des Beaux-Arts alumni Painters from Paris French Impressionist painters 20th-century French women painters