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4 - Guillaume Seignac (1870–1924) *Sleeping Venus* Oil on canvas…
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Estimate €3,000 - €4,000
Sale commission
Description
Guillaume Seignac (1870–1924) *Sleeping Venus* Oil on canvas, signed lower right, 65 x 92 cm Condition report: Framed, restored Academic painting, which dominated the 19th century under the authority of the Académie des Beaux-Arts, refers to an official style based on adherence to traditional rules. This movement effectively imposed a hierarchy of genres in which historical, mythological and religious subjects occupied the pinnacle of artistic nobility. Technically, academic painters prioritised the perfection of drawing and line over freedom of colour, whilst seeking a systematic idealisation of forms and bodies. Working exclusively in the studio, they created works with a smooth, ‘polished’ finish. By the mid-19th century, this institutional rigour came to be seen as rigid and artificial. Derogatorily labelled ‘art pompier’, the movement declined in the face of the emergence of the avant-garde movements, notably Realism and Impressionism, which championed plein air painting and freedom of brushstroke. It is precisely within this rigorous framework that Guillaume Seignac finds his place. A painter associated with the École d’Écouen and trained at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, he frequented the studios of Tony Robert-Fleury and William Bouguereau. The teaching of these great masters had a decisive influence on his work. Seignac attached particular importance to line, mastery of drawing, and precision in the rendering of details and forms. His art is characterised by meticulous execution and a constant quest for harmony and formal perfection. His favourite subjects were mainly female figures, particularly idealised female nudes, depicted in graceful and elegant poses. He also drew inspiration from mythology and allegorical themes. Recognised by his contemporaries, Seignac exhibited regularly at the Paris Salon, where his work was honoured with an honourable mention in 1900, followed by a third-class medal in 1903, confirming his rightful place within this official pictorial tradition.
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About the sale 1900–1950: Diverse forms of modernity: Art Nouveau & Art Deco • Cubism • Suprematism • Posters
Auction location
Auction time 10/10/2026 at 10:30 AM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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