Raoul Hideux

RAOUL HIDEUX (1880-¿).
"Maharaja". Paris, 1913.
Enamel on metal.
Signed, dated and located on the back.
It presents small restoration in the left superior part and very slight losses.
Measurements: 18,5 x 10 cm.

The technical excellence (meticulous, almost photographic) and the imposing iconography of this portrait of an Indian maharajah are fully in line with the stylistic canon and the master craftsmanship of Raoul Hideux. As for the immortalized figure, serious and authoritative, it should be noted that a maharaja is a Hindu noble title of Sanskrit origin meaning "great king", applied to the princes and monarchs of India.

Raoul Hideux, French artist son of the famous Parisian photographer Charles Hideux, consolidated his prestige in 1898 by founding his own studio in rue Meyerbeer in Paris. His studio became well known for the exceptional quality of his enamel miniatures on copper, a specialty that earned him the recognition of contemporary critics. After moving its headquarters to the prestigious rue de la Paix, the studio was strengthened in 1910 with the addition of Swiss master enameler Gabriel Dufaux. Hideux's production was highly valued in Belle Époque artistic circles, standing out for its technical virtuosity and elegance.