Léon Printemps 1871-1945

Born in the Lille region, Léon Printemps (1871–1945) devoted himself to painting from the age of thirteen, encouraged by his uncle and mentor, the sculptor Jules Printemps (1851–1889). He attended evening classes at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris in 1888 and joined Gustave Moreau’s studio in 1892, surrounding himself with avant-garde artists such as Rouault, Matisse, and the Belgian painter Henri Evenepoel. His encounter with Moreau, a master of Symbolism, was decisive for his artistic sensibility. Fully embracing his teacher’s artistic principles, Printemps exhibited twelve works at the final Salon de la Rose-Croix in March 1897. Working within the Symbolist tradition, he received numerous awards throughout his career and exhibited annually at the Salon des Artistes Français from 1893 until his death in 1945. Today, his works are held in several French institutions and museums, including those in Châlons-en-Champagne (a gift from Baron Alphonse de Rothschild), Châtenay-Malabry, Cholet, Compiègne, Noirmoutier, Paris, Riom, and Versailles.