Paul Émile Chabas (1869 – 1937)
Paul Émile Chabas was a French painter and illustrator from Nantes. He was a member of the Académie des Beaux-Arts and in 1890, he exhibited his work for the first time at the Salon, Paris.
Prize Winner
Chabas was trained by William-Adolphe Bouguereau and Tony Robert-Fleury and went on to win various awards for his work, including the National Prize at the 1899 Paris Salon for his painting, “Joyous Frolics”.
Controversy
Paul was noted for his depictions, of young female nudes, set in natural surroundings and although he was considered to be one of the best in Europe on this subject, it caused a problem in the USA. The secretary of the “New York Society for the Suppression of Vice”, decided that Paul’s painting, “September Morn” c. 1912, was immoral. This affected Chabas deeply and for a time, he retreated to the South of France to escape the limelight. As a result of all the surrounding controversy, demand for reproductions of the painting soared. Ironically, this work now resides in New York.
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