Albert Maignan

ALBERT PIERRE RENÉ MAIGNAN (France, 1845-1908).
"The Robbery".
Oil on canvas.
Signed.
Period frame with faults.
Measurements: 67 x 54 cm; 102 x 91 x 12 cm (frame).

The canvas in bidding shows two bandits robbing the main bedroom of a bourgeois house. While one of the looters is about to open the drawers of a baroque chest, the other crook uncovers a chest with sumptuous silks inside. The anecdotal character of the piece is enhanced by the chicken hanging from the waist of one of the thieves. The scene has been resolved with a diluted impasto technique attentive to detail, even close to the genre of the casacón.

Albert Maignan trained in Paris with Jules Achille Noël. He made his debut at the Salon in 1867, where he exhibited continuously throughout his life. In 1868, he undertook an extensive trip, painting landscapes of Rouen, Cordoba, Seville and the Suez Canal before its inauguration. Upon his return, he joined the workshop of Évariste Vital Luminais. His talent was recognized in 1889 with a gold medal at the Universal Exposition, followed by the Medal of Honor at the 1892 Salon. Three years later, he was distinguished with the title of Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur. Although his artistic production was mainly centered on historical painting, he also painted numerous portraits. His works with Spanish and Orientalist themes show the influence of Henri Regnault. From 1889, he expanded his repertoire to drawing illustrations and creating decorative murals, some of which adorned the Salon des Lettres of the City Hall and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Saint-Étienne. In a new artistic foray, between 1895 and 1899 he designed a series of tapestries for the Conference Room of the Luxembourg Palace. He was also part of the group of painters in charge of decorating the lobby of the Opéra-Comique and was one of the artists selected to embellish "Le Train Bleu", a renowned restaurant in the Gare de Lyon, in 1900. Today his work is represented in collections all over the world, especially in France.