Edmond Aman-Jean 1858-1936

Born Amand Edmond Jean, Edmond Aman-Jean established himself as one of the leading figures of French Symbolism in the late nineteenth century. He trained at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris in the studio of Henri Lehmann, where he formed a close friendship with Georges Seurat, with whom he shared a studio, while also becoming associated with the painters Alphonse Osbert and Alexandre Séon.

In 1884, alongside Seurat, he assisted Puvis de Chavannes in the execution of The Sacred Grove, Beloved of the Arts and the Muses, whose decorative ideal would have a lasting influence on his work. Awarded a travelling scholarship in 1886, he journeyed to Italy with his fellow artists Henri Martin and Ernest Laurent. There, the study of the Italian Primitives strengthened his taste for monumental compositions, hieratic figures and delicate chromatic harmonies.

A regular exhibitor at the Salon des Artistes Français upon his return, and subsequently at the Société Nationale from 1892 onwards, Aman-Jean was soon won over by Joséphin Péladan’s aesthetic ideals. He participated in the first two Salons de la Rose-Croix in 1892 and 1893, favouring a subtle and erudite form of Symbolism in his work.

Closely connected with Parisian literary circles, he maintained a lasting friendship with Paul Verlaine, whose celebrated portrait he painted and who dedicated a sonnet to him shortly before his death in 1896.

A sought-after portraitist, decorator and accomplished printmaker, Aman-Jean developed a highly poetic personal style characterised by muted tones, female figures imbued with mystery and sensuality, and a constant search for harmony between line and colour.

After joining the Société Nouvelle de Peintres et de Sculpteurs in 1899, he was appointed a Knight of the Legion of Honour in 1900 with the support of Albert Besnard, before being promoted to Commander in 1933.