ARTIST: Francois Brunery (Italian, French, 1849 - 1926) NAME: Offering of Fire MEDIUM: oil on board CONDITION: Very good. No visible inpaint under UV light. SIGHT SIZE: 9 1/2 x 7 inches / 25 x 17 cm FRAME SIZE: 11 x 8 inches / 27 x 20 cm SIGNATURE: lower right NAME VARIANTS: Francesco Brumeri, Francesco Bruneri, Francois Brunery, Francois Brunnery CATEGORY: old antique vintage painting for auction sale online AD: ART CONSIGNMENTS WANTED. CONTACT US SKU#: 122652 US SHIPPING: $42 + insurance. BIOGRAPHY: The artist known as Francois Brunery was christened Francesco Bruneri in the north Italian city of Turin at the heart of a region that is today part of both Italy and France.Although cultural and familial ties with France ran deep in the region, Turin was also the center of the mid-nineteenth century movement towards Italian unification; and in fact served briefly as the capitol of the new Italian nation from 1861-65. Within this cultural context, it is not unusual to find families whose lineage contains both French and Italian branches--and surnames that shift depending on the locale. Francois Brunery thus signs his paintings with both the French and the Italian versions of his last name.Brunery seems to have left Turin in the 1860s for Paris where he studied with two of the most prestigious academic painters of the day, Jean-Leon Gerome (1824-1904) and Leon Bonnat (1833-1922). The older of these two mentors, Gerome had established his reputation in the 1850s as a painter of classical themes, and then expanded his repertoire to include Orientalist themes. In addition his interest in anecdotal history painting, in which famous historical figures are shown going about about ordinary everyday activities, would serve as an example to Brunery in later years.Likewise, Leon Bonnat, one of Gerome’s friends, was a well-established academic artist in 1860s Paris. Together, the two men left Paris in 1868 on an extended painting trip to the Middle East. It was after his return from Jerusalem and Egypt that Bonnat began to experiment with anecdotal genre paintings. Although his interest in this particular approach last only through the 1870s, it was prevalent during the years that the young Brunery was studying art in Paris.With his education completed, Brunery returned again to Italy. Although many of his paintings remain undated, there are a number of them that seem to have been created in the 1870s in Venice and the surrounding regions. Given his Italian citizenship, Brunery may well have decided to leave France during the disastrous Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71 when the country was torn apart by both a resounding defeat at the hands of the Prussians and by civil war during the Commune period of 1871. During these years, Brunery created many small format views of Venetian canals, piazzas and bridges, perhaps using the plein-air technique of painting on site. The emphasis on light and the use of stenographic brushwork suggests an influence of the very early work of the Impressionists as well. These typically small paintings were very appealing to the tourist trade, and no doubt provided Brunery with a respectable income from his art. He also mastered anecdotal genre painting during his time in Italy, beginning with the so-called “cavalier” painting tradition that had been popular in Venice since at least the 1700s. These scenes typically showed a dashing young man, dressed in the frock coat and silk stockings of the 18th century, either courting a young woman or admiring himself in a mirror. Such images were enduringly popular, and Brunery’s technical virtuosity showcased his considerable skill in creating a convincing light-hearted--and often slightly satirical--narrative. Brunery’s years in Italy served him well in terms of his career. When he made his Salon debut in 1879 with Le retard du fiance (The Tardiness of Her Fiance), he presented an appealing combination of social satire at the fiance’s lack of enthusiasm for his upcoming nuptials and sensual delight in the beauty of fabrics, textures and decorative objects. The following year at the Salon 1880, he turned his attention to portraiture with a work titled simply Portrait of Mme. A. L... Throughout the rest of his career, Brunery exhibited regularly at the Salon, receiving an Honorable Mention for The Eavesdropper in 1903.As his career evolved, Brunery developed a particular specialty in what are now known as “Cardinal Paintings.” These images depicting cardinals of the Catholic church in comical or embarrassing situations, became increasingly popular in the late nineteenth century. Artists such as Jehan-Georges Vibert, Georges Croegaert, Ferdinand Heilbuth and many others helped to create a sub-genre of anecdotal painting that took a tongue-in-cheek attitude towards the behavior of these presumably dignified and virtuous religious leaders. French anti-clericalism was not new, but the level of satire and pointed irreverence intensified in the last half of the nineteenth century, partly in response to Pope Pius IX’s ongoing efforts to regain political power after enduring the skepticism of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic decades. When he proclaimed the doctrine of papal infallibility in 1869, he provoked even more suspicion of the church’s attempts to impose moral standards that it did not exemplify itself. It was an invitation to parody, most of which was relatively gentle, albeit unrelenting. Brunery’s contribution to the Cardinal Painting genre was substantial. Some of these works are good-humored illustrations of the all too human nature of prominent churchmen. A Wrong Note, for example, depicts a chamber ensemble of cardinals attempting to practice their music when the prideful soloist misses a note, much to the dismay of the rest of the group. Other images, such as A Delicate Balance, are less solicitous. In this painting, Brunery shows a plump cardinal attempting to cross a rickety wooden footbridge when he loses his footing and his stash of playing cards flies out of his sleeve. The lowly parish priest who has already successfully crossed the stream stares in disbelief as the evidence of the cardinal’s gambling--and perhaps cheating--becomes obvious. Similarly, the painting of The Cardinal’s Nephew implies that the young boy seated on the cardinal’s knee is not his nephew, but the son he fathered with the attractive young woman nearby. It is worth noting that this anticlerical satire found a welcome audience among people from all classes and was widely appreciated by academic and avant-garde artists alike.By the 1890s, Brunery established an international reputation as a painter of anecdotal genre scenes, and like many other artists, he began to explore the alluring American market for collectors. In 1891, a pair of paintings, Before the Ball and After the Ball, were included in an exhibition at the Powers’ Art Gallery in Rochester, New York. And again in 1911, a number of Brunery’s paintings were included in an auction at the American Art Association. His work seems to have been a popular success in the United States, including not only the Cardinal Paintings, but the landscapes and cavalier genre paintings as well. ??There is little information on the last decades of Brunery’s life, in part because of the disruption of World War I throughout Europe. Despite the lack of a definitive chronology for his art work, Brunery seems to have continued painting until shortly before his death in 1926.
Olio su tavola, firmato al recto in basso a sinistra. 33 x 24 cm - FRANÇOIS BRUNERY 1849-1926 In the painter's studio Oil on board, signed recto lower left. 12.99 x 9.45 in.
ARTIST: Francois Brunery (Italian, French, 1849 - 1926) NAME: Offering of Fire MEDIUM: oil on board CONDITION: Very good. No visible inpaint under UV light. SIGHT SIZE: 9 1/2 x 7 inches / 25 x 17 cm FRAME SIZE: 11 x 8 inches / 27 x 20 cm SIGNATURE: lower right NAME VARIANTS: Francesco Brumeri, Francesco Bruneri, Francois Brunery, Francois Brunnery CATEGORY: old antique vintage painting for auction sale online AD: ART CONSIGNMENTS WANTED. CONTACT US SKU#: 122652 US Shipping $42 + insurance. BIOGRAPHY: The artist known as Francois Brunery was christened Francesco Bruneri in the north Italian city of Turin at the heart of a region that is today part of both Italy and France.Although cultural and familial ties with France ran deep in the region, Turin was also the center of the mid-nineteenth century movement towards Italian unification; and in fact served briefly as the capitol of the new Italian nation from 1861-65. Within this cultural context, it is not unusual to find families whose lineage contains both French and Italian branches--and surnames that shift depending on the locale. Francois Brunery thus signs his paintings with both the French and the Italian versions of his last name.Brunery seems to have left Turin in the 1860s for Paris where he studied with two of the most prestigious academic painters of the day, Jean-Leon Gerome (1824-1904) and Leon Bonnat (1833-1922). The older of these two mentors, Gerome had established his reputation in the 1850s as a painter of classical themes, and then expanded his repertoire to include Orientalist themes. In addition his interest in anecdotal history painting, in which famous historical figures are shown going about about ordinary everyday activities, would serve as an example to Brunery in later years.Likewise, Leon Bonnat, one of Gerome’s friends, was a well-established academic artist in 1860s Paris. Together, the two men left Paris in 1868 on an extended painting trip to the Middle East. It was after his return from Jerusalem and Egypt that Bonnat began to experiment with anecdotal genre paintings. Although his interest in this particular approach last only through the 1870s, it was prevalent during the years that the young Brunery was studying art in Paris.With his education completed, Brunery returned again to Italy. Although many of his paintings remain undated, there are a number of them that seem to have been created in the 1870s in Venice and the surrounding regions. Given his Italian citizenship, Brunery may well have decided to leave France during the disastrous Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71 when the country was torn apart by both a resounding defeat at the hands of the Prussians and by civil war during the Commune period of 1871. During these years, Brunery created many small format views of Venetian canals, piazzas and bridges, perhaps using the plein-air technique of painting on site. The emphasis on light and the use of stenographic brushwork suggests an influence of the very early work of the Impressionists as well. These typically small paintings were very appealing to the tourist trade, and no doubt provided Brunery with a respectable income from his art. He also mastered anecdotal genre painting during his time in Italy, beginning with the so-called “cavalier” painting tradition that had been popular in Venice since at least the 1700s. These scenes typically showed a dashing young man, dressed in the frock coat and silk stockings of the 18th century, either courting a young woman or admiring himself in a mirror. Such images were enduringly popular, and Brunery’s technical virtuosity showcased his considerable skill in creating a convincing light-hearted--and often slightly satirical--narrative. Brunery’s years in Italy served him well in terms of his career. When he made his Salon debut in 1879 with Le retard du fiance (The Tardiness of Her Fiance), he presented an appealing combination of social satire at the fiance’s lack of enthusiasm for his upcoming nuptials and sensual delight in the beauty of fabrics, textures and decorative objects. The following year at the Salon 1880, he turned his attention to portraiture with a work titled simply Portrait of Mme. A. L... Throughout the rest of his career, Brunery exhibited regularly at the Salon, receiving an Honorable Mention for The Eavesdropper in 1903.As his career evolved, Brunery developed a particular specialty in what are now known as “Cardinal Paintings.” These images depicting cardinals of the Catholic church in comical or embarrassing situations, became increasingly popular in the late nineteenth century. Artists such as Jehan-Georges Vibert, Georges Croegaert, Ferdinand Heilbuth and many others helped to create a sub-genre of anecdotal painting that took a tongue-in-cheek attitude towards the behavior of these presumably dignified and virtuous religious leaders. French anti-clericalism was not new, but the level of satire and pointed irreverence intensified in the last half of the nineteenth century, partly in response to Pope Pius IX’s ongoing efforts to regain political power after enduring the skepticism of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic decades. When he proclaimed the doctrine of papal infallibility in 1869, he provoked even more suspicion of the church’s attempts to impose moral standards that it did not exemplify itself. It was an invitation to parody, most of which was relatively gentle, albeit unrelenting. Brunery’s contribution to the Cardinal Painting genre was substantial. Some of these works are good-humored illustrations of the all too human nature of prominent churchmen. A Wrong Note, for example, depicts a chamber ensemble of cardinals attempting to practice their music when the prideful soloist misses a note, much to the dismay of the rest of the group. Other images, such as A Delicate Balance, are less solicitous. In this painting, Brunery shows a plump cardinal attempting to cross a rickety wooden footbridge when he loses his footing and his stash of playing cards flies out of his sleeve. The lowly parish priest who has already successfully crossed the stream stares in disbelief as the evidence of the cardinal’s gambling--and perhaps cheating--becomes obvious. Similarly, the painting of The Cardinal’s Nephew implies that the young boy seated on the cardinal’s knee is not his nephew, but the son he fathered with the attractive young woman nearby. It is worth noting that this anticlerical satire found a welcome audience among people from all classes and was widely appreciated by academic and avant-garde artists alike.By the 1890s, Brunery established an international reputation as a painter of anecdotal genre scenes, and like many other artists, he began to explore the alluring American market for collectors. In 1891, a pair of paintings, Before the Ball and After the Ball, were included in an exhibition at the Powers’ Art Gallery in Rochester, New York. And again in 1911, a number of Brunery’s paintings were included in an auction at the American Art Association. His work seems to have been a popular success in the United States, including not only the Cardinal Paintings, but the landscapes and cavalier genre paintings as well. ??There is little information on the last decades of Brunery’s life, in part because of the disruption of World War I throughout Europe. Despite the lack of a definitive chronology for his art work, Brunery seems to have continued painting until shortly before his death in 1926.
Francois Brunery (Italian, 1849-1926) "The Cardinal Entertains" oil on beveled wood panel signed lower right. Framed. 21-3/4" x 17-3/4", framed 32" x 27"
ARTIST: Francois Brunery (Italian, French, 1849 - 1926) NAME: Offering of Fire MEDIUM: oil on board CONDITION: Very good. No visible inpaint under UV light. SIGHT SIZE: 9 1/2 x 7 inches / 25 x 17 cm FRAME SIZE: 11 x 8 inches / 27 x 20 cm SIGNATURE: lower right NAME VARIANTS: Francesco Brumeri, Francesco Bruneri, Francois Brunery, Francois Brunnery CATEGORY: old antique vintage painting for auction sale online AD: ART CONSIGNMENTS WANTED. CONTACT US SKU#: 122652 US Shipping $42 + insurance. BIOGRAPHY: The artist known as Francois Brunery was christened Francesco Bruneri in the north Italian city of Turin at the heart of a region that is today part of both Italy and France.Although cultural and familial ties with France ran deep in the region, Turin was also the center of the mid-nineteenth century movement towards Italian unification; and in fact served briefly as the capitol of the new Italian nation from 1861-65. Within this cultural context, it is not unusual to find families whose lineage contains both French and Italian branches--and surnames that shift depending on the locale. Francois Brunery thus signs his paintings with both the French and the Italian versions of his last name.Brunery seems to have left Turin in the 1860s for Paris where he studied with two of the most prestigious academic painters of the day, Jean-Leon Gerome (1824-1904) and Leon Bonnat (1833-1922). The older of these two mentors, Gerome had established his reputation in the 1850s as a painter of classical themes, and then expanded his repertoire to include Orientalist themes. In addition his interest in anecdotal history painting, in which famous historical figures are shown going about about ordinary everyday activities, would serve as an example to Brunery in later years.Likewise, Leon Bonnat, one of Gerome’s friends, was a well-established academic artist in 1860s Paris. Together, the two men left Paris in 1868 on an extended painting trip to the Middle East. It was after his return from Jerusalem and Egypt that Bonnat began to experiment with anecdotal genre paintings. Although his interest in this particular approach last only through the 1870s, it was prevalent during the years that the young Brunery was studying art in Paris.With his education completed, Brunery returned again to Italy. Although many of his paintings remain undated, there are a number of them that seem to have been created in the 1870s in Venice and the surrounding regions. Given his Italian citizenship, Brunery may well have decided to leave France during the disastrous Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71 when the country was torn apart by both a resounding defeat at the hands of the Prussians and by civil war during the Commune period of 1871. During these years, Brunery created many small format views of Venetian canals, piazzas and bridges, perhaps using the plein-air technique of painting on site. The emphasis on light and the use of stenographic brushwork suggests an influence of the very early work of the Impressionists as well. These typically small paintings were very appealing to the tourist trade, and no doubt provided Brunery with a respectable income from his art. He also mastered anecdotal genre painting during his time in Italy, beginning with the so-called “cavalier” painting tradition that had been popular in Venice since at least the 1700s. These scenes typically showed a dashing young man, dressed in the frock coat and silk stockings of the 18th century, either courting a young woman or admiring himself in a mirror. Such images were enduringly popular, and Brunery’s technical virtuosity showcased his considerable skill in creating a convincing light-hearted--and often slightly satirical--narrative. Brunery’s years in Italy served him well in terms of his career. When he made his Salon debut in 1879 with Le retard du fiance (The Tardiness of Her Fiance), he presented an appealing combination of social satire at the fiance’s lack of enthusiasm for his upcoming nuptials and sensual delight in the beauty of fabrics, textures and decorative objects. The following year at the Salon 1880, he turned his attention to portraiture with a work titled simply Portrait of Mme. A. L... Throughout the rest of his career, Brunery exhibited regularly at the Salon, receiving an Honorable Mention for The Eavesdropper in 1903.As his career evolved, Brunery developed a particular specialty in what are now known as “Cardinal Paintings.” These images depicting cardinals of the Catholic church in comical or embarrassing situations, became increasingly popular in the late nineteenth century. Artists such as Jehan-Georges Vibert, Georges Croegaert, Ferdinand Heilbuth and many others helped to create a sub-genre of anecdotal painting that took a tongue-in-cheek attitude towards the behavior of these presumably dignified and virtuous religious leaders. French anti-clericalism was not new, but the level of satire and pointed irreverence intensified in the last half of the nineteenth century, partly in response to Pope Pius IX’s ongoing efforts to regain political power after enduring the skepticism of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic decades. When he proclaimed the doctrine of papal infallibility in 1869, he provoked even more suspicion of the church’s attempts to impose moral standards that it did not exemplify itself. It was an invitation to parody, most of which was relatively gentle, albeit unrelenting. Brunery’s contribution to the Cardinal Painting genre was substantial. Some of these works are good-humored illustrations of the all too human nature of prominent churchmen. A Wrong Note, for example, depicts a chamber ensemble of cardinals attempting to practice their music when the prideful soloist misses a note, much to the dismay of the rest of the group. Other images, such as A Delicate Balance, are less solicitous. In this painting, Brunery shows a plump cardinal attempting to cross a rickety wooden footbridge when he loses his footing and his stash of playing cards flies out of his sleeve. The lowly parish priest who has already successfully crossed the stream stares in disbelief as the evidence of the cardinal’s gambling--and perhaps cheating--becomes obvious. Similarly, the painting of The Cardinal’s Nephew implies that the young boy seated on the cardinal’s knee is not his nephew, but the son he fathered with the attractive young woman nearby. It is worth noting that this anticlerical satire found a welcome audience among people from all classes and was widely appreciated by academic and avant-garde artists alike.By the 1890s, Brunery established an international reputation as a painter of anecdotal genre scenes, and like many other artists, he began to explore the alluring American market for collectors. In 1891, a pair of paintings, Before the Ball and After the Ball, were included in an exhibition at the Powers’ Art Gallery in Rochester, New York. And again in 1911, a number of Brunery’s paintings were included in an auction at the American Art Association. His work seems to have been a popular success in the United States, including not only the Cardinal Paintings, but the landscapes and cavalier genre paintings as well. ??There is little information on the last decades of Brunery’s life, in part because of the disruption of World War I throughout Europe. Despite the lack of a definitive chronology for his art work, Brunery seems to have continued painting until shortly before his death in 1926.
ARTIST: Francois Brunery (Italian, French, 1849 - 1926) NAME: Offering of Fire MEDIUM: oil on board CONDITION: Very good. No visible inpaint under UV light. SIGHT SIZE: 9 1/2 x 7 inches / 25 x 17 cm FRAME SIZE: 11 x 8 inches / 27 x 20 cm SIGNATURE: lower right NAME VARIANTS: Francesco Brumeri, Francesco Bruneri, Francois Brunery, Francois Brunnery CATEGORY: old antique vintage painting for auction sale online AD: ART CONSIGNMENTS WANTED. CONTACT US SKU#: 122652 US Shipping $42 + insurance. BIOGRAPHY: The artist known as Francois Brunery was christened Francesco Bruneri in the north Italian city of Turin at the heart of a region that is today part of both Italy and France.Although cultural and familial ties with France ran deep in the region, Turin was also the center of the mid-nineteenth century movement towards Italian unification; and in fact served briefly as the capitol of the new Italian nation from 1861-65. Within this cultural context, it is not unusual to find families whose lineage contains both French and Italian branches--and surnames that shift depending on the locale. Francois Brunery thus signs his paintings with both the French and the Italian versions of his last name.Brunery seems to have left Turin in the 1860s for Paris where he studied with two of the most prestigious academic painters of the day, Jean-Leon Gerome (1824-1904) and Leon Bonnat (1833-1922). The older of these two mentors, Gerome had established his reputation in the 1850s as a painter of classical themes, and then expanded his repertoire to include Orientalist themes. In addition his interest in anecdotal history painting, in which famous historical figures are shown going about about ordinary everyday activities, would serve as an example to Brunery in later years.Likewise, Leon Bonnat, one of Gerome’s friends, was a well-established academic artist in 1860s Paris. Together, the two men left Paris in 1868 on an extended painting trip to the Middle East. It was after his return from Jerusalem and Egypt that Bonnat began to experiment with anecdotal genre paintings. Although his interest in this particular approach last only through the 1870s, it was prevalent during the years that the young Brunery was studying art in Paris.With his education completed, Brunery returned again to Italy. Although many of his paintings remain undated, there are a number of them that seem to have been created in the 1870s in Venice and the surrounding regions. Given his Italian citizenship, Brunery may well have decided to leave France during the disastrous Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71 when the country was torn apart by both a resounding defeat at the hands of the Prussians and by civil war during the Commune period of 1871. During these years, Brunery created many small format views of Venetian canals, piazzas and bridges, perhaps using the plein-air technique of painting on site. The emphasis on light and the use of stenographic brushwork suggests an influence of the very early work of the Impressionists as well. These typically small paintings were very appealing to the tourist trade, and no doubt provided Brunery with a respectable income from his art. He also mastered anecdotal genre painting during his time in Italy, beginning with the so-called “cavalier” painting tradition that had been popular in Venice since at least the 1700s. These scenes typically showed a dashing young man, dressed in the frock coat and silk stockings of the 18th century, either courting a young woman or admiring himself in a mirror. Such images were enduringly popular, and Brunery’s technical virtuosity showcased his considerable skill in creating a convincing light-hearted--and often slightly satirical--narrative. Brunery’s years in Italy served him well in terms of his career. When he made his Salon debut in 1879 with Le retard du fiance (The Tardiness of Her Fiance), he presented an appealing combination of social satire at the fiance’s lack of enthusiasm for his upcoming nuptials and sensual delight in the beauty of fabrics, textures and decorative objects. The following year at the Salon 1880, he turned his attention to portraiture with a work titled simply Portrait of Mme. A. L... Throughout the rest of his career, Brunery exhibited regularly at the Salon, receiving an Honorable Mention for The Eavesdropper in 1903.As his career evolved, Brunery developed a particular specialty in what are now known as “Cardinal Paintings.” These images depicting cardinals of the Catholic church in comical or embarrassing situations, became increasingly popular in the late nineteenth century. Artists such as Jehan-Georges Vibert, Georges Croegaert, Ferdinand Heilbuth and many others helped to create a sub-genre of anecdotal painting that took a tongue-in-cheek attitude towards the behavior of these presumably dignified and virtuous religious leaders. French anti-clericalism was not new, but the level of satire and pointed irreverence intensified in the last half of the nineteenth century, partly in response to Pope Pius IX’s ongoing efforts to regain political power after enduring the skepticism of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic decades. When he proclaimed the doctrine of papal infallibility in 1869, he provoked even more suspicion of the church’s attempts to impose moral standards that it did not exemplify itself. It was an invitation to parody, most of which was relatively gentle, albeit unrelenting. Brunery’s contribution to the Cardinal Painting genre was substantial. Some of these works are good-humored illustrations of the all too human nature of prominent churchmen. A Wrong Note, for example, depicts a chamber ensemble of cardinals attempting to practice their music when the prideful soloist misses a note, much to the dismay of the rest of the group. Other images, such as A Delicate Balance, are less solicitous. In this painting, Brunery shows a plump cardinal attempting to cross a rickety wooden footbridge when he loses his footing and his stash of playing cards flies out of his sleeve. The lowly parish priest who has already successfully crossed the stream stares in disbelief as the evidence of the cardinal’s gambling--and perhaps cheating--becomes obvious. Similarly, the painting of The Cardinal’s Nephew implies that the young boy seated on the cardinal’s knee is not his nephew, but the son he fathered with the attractive young woman nearby. It is worth noting that this anticlerical satire found a welcome audience among people from all classes and was widely appreciated by academic and avant-garde artists alike.By the 1890s, Brunery established an international reputation as a painter of anecdotal genre scenes, and like many other artists, he began to explore the alluring American market for collectors. In 1891, a pair of paintings, Before the Ball and After the Ball, were included in an exhibition at the Powers’ Art Gallery in Rochester, New York. And again in 1911, a number of Brunery’s paintings were included in an auction at the American Art Association. His work seems to have been a popular success in the United States, including not only the Cardinal Paintings, but the landscapes and cavalier genre paintings as well. ??There is little information on the last decades of Brunery’s life, in part because of the disruption of World War I throughout Europe. Despite the lack of a definitive chronology for his art work, Brunery seems to have continued painting until shortly before his death in 1926.
ARTIST: Francois Brunery (Italian, French, 1849 - 1926) NAME: Offering of Fire MEDIUM: oil on board CONDITION: Very good. No visible inpaint under UV light. SIGHT SIZE: 9 1/2 x 7 inches / 25 x 17 cm FRAME SIZE: 11 x 8 inches / 27 x 20 cm SIGNATURE: lower right NAME VARIANTS: Francesco Brumeri, Francesco Bruneri, Francois Brunery, Francois Brunnery CATEGORY: old antique vintage painting for auction sale online AD: ART CONSIGNMENTS WANTED. CONTACT US SKU#: 122652 US Shipping $42 + insurance. BIOGRAPHY: The artist known as Francois Brunery was christened Francesco Bruneri in the north Italian city of Turin at the heart of a region that is today part of both Italy and France.Although cultural and familial ties with France ran deep in the region, Turin was also the center of the mid-nineteenth century movement towards Italian unification; and in fact served briefly as the capitol of the new Italian nation from 1861-65. Within this cultural context, it is not unusual to find families whose lineage contains both French and Italian branches--and surnames that shift depending on the locale. Francois Brunery thus signs his paintings with both the French and the Italian versions of his last name.Brunery seems to have left Turin in the 1860s for Paris where he studied with two of the most prestigious academic painters of the day, Jean-Leon Gerome (1824-1904) and Leon Bonnat (1833-1922). The older of these two mentors, Gerome had established his reputation in the 1850s as a painter of classical themes, and then expanded his repertoire to include Orientalist themes. In addition his interest in anecdotal history painting, in which famous historical figures are shown going about about ordinary everyday activities, would serve as an example to Brunery in later years.Likewise, Leon Bonnat, one of Gerome’s friends, was a well-established academic artist in 1860s Paris. Together, the two men left Paris in 1868 on an extended painting trip to the Middle East. It was after his return from Jerusalem and Egypt that Bonnat began to experiment with anecdotal genre paintings. Although his interest in this particular approach last only through the 1870s, it was prevalent during the years that the young Brunery was studying art in Paris.With his education completed, Brunery returned again to Italy. Although many of his paintings remain undated, there are a number of them that seem to have been created in the 1870s in Venice and the surrounding regions. Given his Italian citizenship, Brunery may well have decided to leave France during the disastrous Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71 when the country was torn apart by both a resounding defeat at the hands of the Prussians and by civil war during the Commune period of 1871. During these years, Brunery created many small format views of Venetian canals, piazzas and bridges, perhaps using the plein-air technique of painting on site. The emphasis on light and the use of stenographic brushwork suggests an influence of the very early work of the Impressionists as well. These typically small paintings were very appealing to the tourist trade, and no doubt provided Brunery with a respectable income from his art. He also mastered anecdotal genre painting during his time in Italy, beginning with the so-called “cavalier” painting tradition that had been popular in Venice since at least the 1700s. These scenes typically showed a dashing young man, dressed in the frock coat and silk stockings of the 18th century, either courting a young woman or admiring himself in a mirror. Such images were enduringly popular, and Brunery’s technical virtuosity showcased his considerable skill in creating a convincing light-hearted--and often slightly satirical--narrative. Brunery’s years in Italy served him well in terms of his career. When he made his Salon debut in 1879 with Le retard du fiance (The Tardiness of Her Fiance), he presented an appealing combination of social satire at the fiance’s lack of enthusiasm for his upcoming nuptials and sensual delight in the beauty of fabrics, textures and decorative objects. The following year at the Salon 1880, he turned his attention to portraiture with a work titled simply Portrait of Mme. A. L... Throughout the rest of his career, Brunery exhibited regularly at the Salon, receiving an Honorable Mention for The Eavesdropper in 1903.As his career evolved, Brunery developed a particular specialty in what are now known as “Cardinal Paintings.” These images depicting cardinals of the Catholic church in comical or embarrassing situations, became increasingly popular in the late nineteenth century. Artists such as Jehan-Georges Vibert, Georges Croegaert, Ferdinand Heilbuth and many others helped to create a sub-genre of anecdotal painting that took a tongue-in-cheek attitude towards the behavior of these presumably dignified and virtuous religious leaders. French anti-clericalism was not new, but the level of satire and pointed irreverence intensified in the last half of the nineteenth century, partly in response to Pope Pius IX’s ongoing efforts to regain political power after enduring the skepticism of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic decades. When he proclaimed the doctrine of papal infallibility in 1869, he provoked even more suspicion of the church’s attempts to impose moral standards that it did not exemplify itself. It was an invitation to parody, most of which was relatively gentle, albeit unrelenting. Brunery’s contribution to the Cardinal Painting genre was substantial. Some of these works are good-humored illustrations of the all too human nature of prominent churchmen. A Wrong Note, for example, depicts a chamber ensemble of cardinals attempting to practice their music when the prideful soloist misses a note, much to the dismay of the rest of the group. Other images, such as A Delicate Balance, are less solicitous. In this painting, Brunery shows a plump cardinal attempting to cross a rickety wooden footbridge when he loses his footing and his stash of playing cards flies out of his sleeve. The lowly parish priest who has already successfully crossed the stream stares in disbelief as the evidence of the cardinal’s gambling--and perhaps cheating--becomes obvious. Similarly, the painting of The Cardinal’s Nephew implies that the young boy seated on the cardinal’s knee is not his nephew, but the son he fathered with the attractive young woman nearby. It is worth noting that this anticlerical satire found a welcome audience among people from all classes and was widely appreciated by academic and avant-garde artists alike.By the 1890s, Brunery established an international reputation as a painter of anecdotal genre scenes, and like many other artists, he began to explore the alluring American market for collectors. In 1891, a pair of paintings, Before the Ball and After the Ball, were included in an exhibition at the Powers’ Art Gallery in Rochester, New York. And again in 1911, a number of Brunery’s paintings were included in an auction at the American Art Association. His work seems to have been a popular success in the United States, including not only the Cardinal Paintings, but the landscapes and cavalier genre paintings as well. ??There is little information on the last decades of Brunery’s life, in part because of the disruption of World War I throughout Europe. Despite the lack of a definitive chronology for his art work, Brunery seems to have continued painting until shortly before his death in 1926.
Francois Brunery Italian/French, 1849-1926 A Tedious Conference Signed F Brunery (lr) Oil on panel 27 1/2 x 36 inches (69.8 x 91.5 cm) Provenance: MacConnal-Mason & Son, Ltd., London Property of Cecil K. Rosen Private collection, Long Island, New York C
ARTIST: Francois Brunery (Italian, French, 1849 - 1926) NAME: Offering of Fire MEDIUM: oil on board CONDITION: Very good. No visible inpaint under UV light. SIGHT SIZE: 9 1/2 x 7 inches / 25 x 17 cm FRAME SIZE: 11 x 8 inches / 27 x 20 cm SIGNATURE: lower right NAME VARIANTS: Francesco Brumeri, Francesco Bruneri, Francois Brunery, Francois Brunnery CATEGORY: old antique vintage painting for auction sale online AD: ART CONSIGNMENTS WANTED. CONTACT US SKU#: 122652 US Shipping $42 + insurance. BIOGRAPHY: The artist known as Francois Brunery was christened Francesco Bruneri in the north Italian city of Turin at the heart of a region that is today part of both Italy and France.Although cultural and familial ties with France ran deep in the region, Turin was also the center of the mid-nineteenth century movement towards Italian unification; and in fact served briefly as the capitol of the new Italian nation from 1861-65. Within this cultural context, it is not unusual to find families whose lineage contains both French and Italian branches--and surnames that shift depending on the locale. Francois Brunery thus signs his paintings with both the French and the Italian versions of his last name.Brunery seems to have left Turin in the 1860s for Paris where he studied with two of the most prestigious academic painters of the day, Jean-Leon Gerome (1824-1904) and Leon Bonnat (1833-1922). The older of these two mentors, Gerome had established his reputation in the 1850s as a painter of classical themes, and then expanded his repertoire to include Orientalist themes. In addition his interest in anecdotal history painting, in which famous historical figures are shown going about about ordinary everyday activities, would serve as an example to Brunery in later years.Likewise, Leon Bonnat, one of Gerome’s friends, was a well-established academic artist in 1860s Paris. Together, the two men left Paris in 1868 on an extended painting trip to the Middle East. It was after his return from Jerusalem and Egypt that Bonnat began to experiment with anecdotal genre paintings. Although his interest in this particular approach last only through the 1870s, it was prevalent during the years that the young Brunery was studying art in Paris.With his education completed, Brunery returned again to Italy. Although many of his paintings remain undated, there are a number of them that seem to have been created in the 1870s in Venice and the surrounding regions. Given his Italian citizenship, Brunery may well have decided to leave France during the disastrous Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71 when the country was torn apart by both a resounding defeat at the hands of the Prussians and by civil war during the Commune period of 1871. During these years, Brunery created many small format views of Venetian canals, piazzas and bridges, perhaps using the plein-air technique of painting on site. The emphasis on light and the use of stenographic brushwork suggests an influence of the very early work of the Impressionists as well. These typically small paintings were very appealing to the tourist trade, and no doubt provided Brunery with a respectable income from his art. He also mastered anecdotal genre painting during his time in Italy, beginning with the so-called “cavalier” painting tradition that had been popular in Venice since at least the 1700s. These scenes typically showed a dashing young man, dressed in the frock coat and silk stockings of the 18th century, either courting a young woman or admiring himself in a mirror. Such images were enduringly popular, and Brunery’s technical virtuosity showcased his considerable skill in creating a convincing light-hearted--and often slightly satirical--narrative. Brunery’s years in Italy served him well in terms of his career. When he made his Salon debut in 1879 with Le retard du fiance (The Tardiness of Her Fiance), he presented an appealing combination of social satire at the fiance’s lack of enthusiasm for his upcoming nuptials and sensual delight in the beauty of fabrics, textures and decorative objects. The following year at the Salon 1880, he turned his attention to portraiture with a work titled simply Portrait of Mme. A. L... Throughout the rest of his career, Brunery exhibited regularly at the Salon, receiving an Honorable Mention for The Eavesdropper in 1903.As his career evolved, Brunery developed a particular specialty in what are now known as “Cardinal Paintings.” These images depicting cardinals of the Catholic church in comical or embarrassing situations, became increasingly popular in the late nineteenth century. Artists such as Jehan-Georges Vibert, Georges Croegaert, Ferdinand Heilbuth and many others helped to create a sub-genre of anecdotal painting that took a tongue-in-cheek attitude towards the behavior of these presumably dignified and virtuous religious leaders. French anti-clericalism was not new, but the level of satire and pointed irreverence intensified in the last half of the nineteenth century, partly in response to Pope Pius IX’s ongoing efforts to regain political power after enduring the skepticism of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic decades. When he proclaimed the doctrine of papal infallibility in 1869, he provoked even more suspicion of the church’s attempts to impose moral standards that it did not exemplify itself. It was an invitation to parody, most of which was relatively gentle, albeit unrelenting. Brunery’s contribution to the Cardinal Painting genre was substantial. Some of these works are good-humored illustrations of the all too human nature of prominent churchmen. A Wrong Note, for example, depicts a chamber ensemble of cardinals attempting to practice their music when the prideful soloist misses a note, much to the dismay of the rest of the group. Other images, such as A Delicate Balance, are less solicitous. In this painting, Brunery shows a plump cardinal attempting to cross a rickety wooden footbridge when he loses his footing and his stash of playing cards flies out of his sleeve. The lowly parish priest who has already successfully crossed the stream stares in disbelief as the evidence of the cardinal’s gambling--and perhaps cheating--becomes obvious. Similarly, the painting of The Cardinal’s Nephew implies that the young boy seated on the cardinal’s knee is not his nephew, but the son he fathered with the attractive young woman nearby. It is worth noting that this anticlerical satire found a welcome audience among people from all classes and was widely appreciated by academic and avant-garde artists alike.By the 1890s, Brunery established an international reputation as a painter of anecdotal genre scenes, and like many other artists, he began to explore the alluring American market for collectors. In 1891, a pair of paintings, Before the Ball and After the Ball, were included in an exhibition at the Powers’ Art Gallery in Rochester, New York. And again in 1911, a number of Brunery’s paintings were included in an auction at the American Art Association. His work seems to have been a popular success in the United States, including not only the Cardinal Paintings, but the landscapes and cavalier genre paintings as well. ??There is little information on the last decades of Brunery’s life, in part because of the disruption of World War I throughout Europe. Despite the lack of a definitive chronology for his art work, Brunery seems to have continued painting until shortly before his death in 1926.
La nouvelle servante. -- Öl auf Leinwand, doubliert. 54,3 x 65,1 cm. Rechts unten signiert "F. Brunery". -- -- -- -- - Provenienz: MacConnal-Mason & Son Ltd., London. -- Christie's, London, Auktion am 28. Oktober 2009, Los 286 (mit Abb.). -- Privatsammlung Berlin. -- -- - Wir bitten darum, Zustandsberichte zu den Losen zu erfragen, da der Erhaltungszustand nur in Ausnahmefällen im Katalog angegeben ist. -- - Please ask for condition reports for individual lots, as the condition is usually not mentioned in the catalogue.
(Turin 1849–1926) „C‘était mon meilleur ami!“ titled on plaque, signed F. Brunery, exhibition label of Exposition Internationale des Beaux-Arts de Monte Carlo on reverse, oil on panel, 50.5 x 35 cm, framed
Francois Brunery (Italian, 1849-1926) Piazzetta San Marco, Venice signed 'F Brunery' (lower right) oil on canvas 55.5 x 32.4cm (21 7/8 x 12 3/4in). For further information on this lot please visit the Bonhams website
François Brunery (Italian, 1849-1926), "In the Parlor", oil on canvas, signed lower right, "American Art Galleries, New York, NY" label and partial label on stretcher, 21 5/8 in. x 18 1/4 in., framed with artist plaque.
François Brunery (Italian, 1849-1926) Visite du fiancé Oil on canvas 28 x 36 inches (71.1 x 91.4 cm) Signed lower right: F. Brunery PROVENANCE: Sotheby's, New York, May 26, 1994, lot 128; Richard Green Fine Paintings, London; Private collection, New York, acquired from the above. HID01801242017
FRANÇOIS BRUNERY 1849-1926 Nello studio della pittrice Olio su tavola, firmato al recto in basso a sinistra. 33 x 24 cm - In the painter's studio Oil on board, signed recto lower left. 12.99 x 9.45 in.
Francesco Brunery (Turín, Italia, 1849-1926) Interior con figuras. Óleo sobre tabla. Firmado, fechado en 1883 y localizado en Roma. Conocido como Frappachino Brunson o François Brunery. Estudió con Jean-León Gérôme y Léon Bonnat y recibió mención de honor en el Salón de París de 1903. Se le asocia con el clasicismo y el arte anticlerical. 32 x 24 cm.
Francesco Brunery (Turín, Italia, 1849-1926) Interior con figuras. Óleo sobre tabla. Firmado, fechado en 1883 y localizado en Roma. Conocido como Frappachino Brunson o François Brunery. Estudió con Jean-León Gérôme y Léon Bonnat y recibió mención de honor en el Salón de París de 1903. Se le asocia con el clasicismo y el arte anticlerical. 32 x 24 cm.
François Brunery (Italian, 1849-1926) The playful distraction signed 'F.Brunery' (lower right) oil on panel 28.3 x 19cm (11 1/8 x 7 1/2in). For further information on this lot please visit the Bonhams website
Óleo sobre tabla. Firmado, localizado (Roma) y fechado (1873) en el ángulo inferior derecho. También conocido como Frappachino Brunson o François Brunery. Estudió con Jean-Léon Gérôme y Léon Bonnat y recibió una mención de honor en el Salón de París de 1903. Se le asocia con el clasicismo y el arte anticlerical.
FRANCESCO BRUNERI (Torino, 1845 - Parigi, 1915). Dipinto olio su tavola raff. ''SCENA GALANTE''. Firmato in basso a destra. In cornice. Lievi difetti. Mis. Lung. cm. 24 Alt. cm. 32 ca. Val. 600/900
Property from an English Private Collection FRANCOIS BRUNERY (ITALIAN 1849-1926) A challenging passage signed F.Brunery (lower right) oil on canvas 61 x 51 cm (24 x 20 in) PROVENANCE: Sale, Christie's, London, 21 March 1997, lot 17 Haynes Fine Art, Broadway Purchased from the above by the present owner in April 2001 In the present work Brunery situates his lute playing ‘cavaliers’ in a Dutch seventeenth century interior. By referencing the Dutch Golden Age, Brunery aligns himself with such Old Master maestros as Gerard ter Borsh and Frans van Mieris, to serve up a feast of colours, textures and designs. Clad in billowing velvet knickerbockers, ornately brocaded doublet and sporting the most intricate lace ruffs, the men’s lush and highly ornamented costumes contrast with the hand-woven deep pile oriental carpet that covers the table, and the hard glazed surfaces of the adjacent drinking vessels, allowing the artist the opportunity to show off his painterly virtuosity. See introduction under to lot 358.
Property from an English Private Collection FRANCOIS BRUNERY (ITALIAN 1849-1926) One glass too many or A delicate operation signed F.Brunery (lower right) oil on canvas 61 x 51 cm (24 x 20 in) PROVENANCE: MacConnal-Mason & Son Ltd., London Sale, Christie's, London, 30 March 2001, lot 27 Willow Gallery, Weybridge Purchased from the above by the present owner in June 2001 In the present work three generations – son, father and grandfather – have withdrawn from the ladies after their meal to enjoy male companionship and indulge in coffee and liqueurs. All are mellow with drink, the grandson enjoying the moment as his grandfather tremulously fills his glass, watched anxiously by his father. Dressed in highly elaborate eighteenth-century Rococo garb, including satin breeches, fabulously decorated tailcoats and richly embroidered waistcoats, the desire not to spill a single drop of the precious liquid contrasts with the three men’s extraordinarily lavish attire and their sumptuous surroundings, all of which afforded Brunery the opportunity to exhibit his consummate skill with a paint brush. See introduction to lot 358.
François Brunery (Italian, 1849-1926) Venice signed 'F.Brunery' (lower right) oil on canvas 33.6 x 55.9cm (13 1/4 x 22in). For further information on this lot please visit the Bonhams website
François Brunery (Italian, 1849-1926) A Venetian backwater Oil on canvas 12-1/2 x 22-1/4 inches (31.8 x 56.5 cm) Signed lower right: F. Bruneri PROVENANCE: Susanin's Auction House, Chicago, Illinois, December 5, 2018, lot 6055; Private collection, Cleveland, Ohio. Also known as Francesco Brunery and Frappachino Brunson, François Brunery was born in Turin, Italy, but received his academic training in France. He studied both with Jean-Leon Gérôme and Leon Bonnat, and won an honorable mention at the Paris Salon in 1903. Like many gifted landscapists of his time, Brunery worked in Venice where picturesque subjects were just as plentiful as were the tourists eager to purchase the type of meticulously naturalistic scenes Brunery produced. The popularity of Venice among artists of the late 19th century was humorously recorded by Harry Quilter, an art critic for the London Times: "I had been drawing for about five days, in one of the back canals, a specially beautiful doorway, when one morning I heard a sort of war-whoop, and there was [American expatriate artist James McNeill] Whistler in a gondola, close by, shouting. . . . ‘Hi, hi! What? What? Here, I say, you've got my doorway!' I replied, ‘It's my doorway, I've been here for the last week.' ‘I don't care a straw, I found it out first.'" HID01801242017
François Brunery (Italian, 1849-1926) The Stolen Kiss signed 'F. Brunery' (lower right) oil on canvas 65.5 x 54.5cm (25 13/16 x 21 7/16in). For further information on this lot please visit the Bonhams website
François Brunery (Italian, 1849-1926) Le gourmand signed 'F. Brunery' (lower right)oil on panel46.5 x 37.8cm (18 5/16 x 14 7/8in). Provenance: Sutcliffe Galleries, Harrogate.Private collection, UK (acquired from the above).
Francois Brunery (1849 - 1926) Portrait of a chair - A French empire style chair with Egyptian mask decoration and green upholstery Oil on board, monogram bottom left and verso Gilt wood rocaille decorated frame,
CAVALIER BY FRANCOIS BRUNERY (ITALY/FRANCE, 1849-1926). Oil on canvas, signed lower right. Seated soldier with pipe. Some crazing. 8.5"h. 6.5"w., framed, 15"h. 12"w.
