Henri Guinier 1867-1927

Painter of allegorical subjects, genre scenes, nudes, portraits, and landscapes; also a watercolorist, pastelist, and draftsman.

Following his father’s advice, he enrolled at the École des Arts et Métiers in Châlons-sur-Marne, graduating as an engineer in 1886. Passionate about painting, he then studied under Jules Lefebvre and Benjamin-Constant. His career was rapid and distinguished: in 1893 he received an honorable mention, in 1896 a third-class medal and the Prix de Rome, followed by a second-class medal in 1898. That same year, he was awarded a travel grant, and in 1900 he won a silver medal at the Exposition Universelle; in 1907, he received the Henner Prize.

A founding member of the Salon d’Automne, he was also a regular exhibitor at the Salons of the Société des Artistes Français from the early 1890s until his death. He first discovered Brittany in 1902 during a stay on the island of Bréhat. In Paris, he had become friends with the painter Le Gout-Gérard, who introduced him to the picturesque site of Concarneau, then a hub for painters from around the world.

More than landscapes and seascapes, Guinier (also a portraitist) focused in Brittany on the human figure, observed in everyday life. The Finistère region of Cornouaille, as well as Le Faouët, provided inspiration for many of his paintings, pastels, and watercolors, as reflected in his annual submissions to the Salons.