Debras account

 

 

Impressionism, a historical reconstruction

Louis Debras

(1819-1899)

Account

of his exhibited art-works

 

What art-works did Debras exhibit?
On this page you will find an account of the art-works that Louis Debras exhibited at the 1st ‘impressionist’ exposition in 1874, at the Salon, it’s successor the Salon de la Société des Artistes Français and at an auction at Hôtel Drouot.

 

Exhibited works of Debras in 1874:

  • catalogue numbers 50 – 53
  • so in total Debras (Louis) exhibited 4 works ;
    • 1x a still life (no.51)
    • 1x a drawing (no.52)
    • 1x an indication of place
    • 0x an indication of time, season or weather
    • 1x a study (no.50)
    • 0x a loan
  • Moffett doesn’t give one suggestion what actual works Debras exhibited (R2,p120), nor does Berson (R90II,p7) or Adhémar (R87,p236). I couldn’t find a suggestion either.

Catalogue 1874: (R2,p120;R90I,p5;R87,p236;iR1)

1IE-1874-50, Un paysan, étude.
Eng.: a peasant; study. Compare S1859-788. According to Adhémar this is the same work (R87,p236). Berson refers to a review of de Montifaud (Adhémar overlooked this): ‘Close to him (=Degas), the misters Cals and Debras seem to be falling into illustration painting; is it because they present us with pastiches of Gustave Doré … the second one with its Etude de Paysan, of a heavy and rough paste?’ (R90I,p29;R87,p267)

1IE-1874-51, Une nature morte.
Eng.: a still life.

1IE-1874-52, San Juan de la Rapita (Espagne); dessin.
Eng.: Sint John de la Rapita (Spain); drawing. San Carles De la Ràpita is a small town along the Mediterranean about 190km south of Barcelona (see). I couldn’t find anything about San Juan de la Rapita. In 1873 Debras showed an oil painting with the same title at the Salon, see below. According to Adhémar this deals with the same work (R87,p236). Webmuseo notes that there was a painting of Louis Debras in the Musée Alfred Danicourt in Péronne titled ‘Souvenir d’Espagne (san Juan de la Rapita)’, which was destroyed in World War II (iR313). It was bought before 1891. I assume that was the 1873 Salon painting.

1IE-1874-53, Rembrandt dans son atelier.
Eng.: Rembrandt in his study.

 

Louis Debras at the Salon:
Louis Debras often exhibited at the Salon and it’s successor the Salon de la Société des Artistes Français. My main source is the Salon database (iR1).
In 1880 Debras exhibited exempté (iR1).

S1843-315, Le sculpteur de la forêt noire (Herman Cloffer)
Additional info: “Uniquement occupé de son travail, voulant le rendre aussi beau qu’il le rêvait, il s’y confondait tout entier, il l’animait de ses désirs.” / (Magasin pittoresque, 9e année)

S1849-492, Portrait de M. D…
Compare: S1859-790 + S1865-587 + S1879-854 + SdAF-1894-539.
Compare: 1849, SDbr, Vue de Montmartre, prise aux environs du moulin de la Galette, pastel, 29×46, Carnavalet (iR195;M8). Was this work rejected? Because it was dated, assumes it was meant to be exhibited or sold.

S1859-787, La halte
x

S1859-790, Portrait de M. L. D...
Compare: S1849-492 + S1865-587 + S1879-854 + SdAF-1894-539.

S1859-789, Un mendiant
Eng.: A beggar. Compare: 1858, SDbl, La serenade à la guitare, 50×41, A2012/10/28 (iR17;iR2) . Note: the singer looks a bit like a beggar and the date corresponds.

S1859-788, Un paysan
Eng.: a farmer. Compare: 1IE-1874-50. According to Adhémar this is the same work (R87,p236).

S1863-526, *Herrera le vieux et sa servante
Additional info: La tradition rapporte que, lorsqu’il était surchargé d’ouvrages et sans élèves pour l’aider, Herrera chargeait sa servante d’ébaucher ses tableaux. Cette femme prenait les couleurs avec de grosses brosses et les étendait sur la toile au hasard. Avant qu’elles fussent sèches Herrera continuait le travail et formait de ce cahos [sic], des paysages, des figures. / (Histoire des peintres espagnols, L. Viardot). Eng.: Herrera the elder and his servant. Additional info: According to tradition, when Herrera was overloaded with work and had no students to help him, he would ask his servant to sketch his paintings. This woman took the colours with large brushes and spread them on the canvas at random. Before they were dry Herrera continued the work and formed landscapes and figures from this chaos / (History of Spanish painters, L. Viardot).

S1864-514, *Maria Tintoretta.
x

S1865-586, *La confession du giaour.
Eng.: The confession of the gypsy man (?).

S1865-587, Portrait de M. L. D
Compare: S1849-492 + S1859-790 + S1879-854 + SdAF-1894-539.

S1866-509, *Un bravo.
Additional info: (Voir aux Dessins, etc). Eng.: A congratulations.

S1866-2165, Portrait de M. T…; dessin rehaussé de blanc
Eng.: Portrait of Mr. T…; drawing heightened with white.

S1869-645, Tête de mouton, etc. ; nature morte.
(Voir aux Dessins, etc.). Eng.: Sheep’s head, etc.; still-life. Maybe several still-life studies?

S1869-2664, Paysage; dessin
S1869-2665, Paysage; dessin
(Voir à la Peinture). Eng.: landscape, drawing. Compare: 18xx, Sbr, Chemin dans la campagne, dr + gouache, 23×29, xx (aR4)

S1870-744, Nature morte.
Eng.: still-life.

S1872-450, Episode de chasse.
Eng.: Hunting episode.

S1872-451, Portrait de Mme ***.
Eng.:

S1873-425, *San-Juan de la Rapita (Espagne).
The same title as 1IE-1874-52, which was a drawing. According to Adhémar this deals with the same work (R87,p236).

S1874-536, Portrait du comte de R
Eng.: Portrait of the Count of R.

S1876-2330, Une rue, à Montmartre.
The used technique is unclear; it was listed under:
Dessins, cartons, aquarelles, pastels, miniatures, vitraux, émaux, porcelaines, faïences (iR1). Eng.: a road in Montmartre. See also the pastel S1877-2562.

S1877-2562, Une rue, à Montmartre; pastel.
Eng.: a road in Montmartre; pastel. Compare: S1876-2330. Compare: 18xx, Rue de la Bonne, angle de la rue St Vincent (échafaudage des constructions du Sacré-Coeur), pastel, 28×23, Carnavalet Paris (iR195;M8); and: 18xx, La rue Saint Vincent à Montmartre, pastel, 28×23, Carnavalet Paris (iR195;M8).

S1877-2563, Intérieur de cour; pastel.
(Voir Peinture). Eng.: Courtyard interior; pastel.

S1878-657, Portrait de M. José L
Eng.:

S1878-658, Pommes et raisins.
Eng.: Apples and grapes. So this was a still-life.

S1879-854, Portrait de M. L. D
Compare: S1849-492 + S1859-790 + S1865-587 + SdAF-1894-539. 

 

Louis Debras at the Salon de la Société des Artistes Français (=SdAF):
Louis Debras exhibited almost yearly at the Salon de la Société des Artistes Français from 1880-1898.
In 1880 Debras exhibited exempté (iR1). My main source is the Salon database (iR1).

SdAF-1880-1019, Portrait de M. *** ;
Additional info: H. 0m,73.L. 0m,60. ([salle] 10.).

SdAF-1880-1020, Salade d’oranges ;
Additional info: H. 0m,50.- L. 0m,62. ([salle] 10.). Eng: Oranges salad.

SdAF-1881-622, Portrait de M. de H
Eng: portrait of mister de H.

S1881-623, Un amateur.
Eng: an amature.

SdAF-1881-2662, Portrait de M. Armand B… ;
Additional info: Dessins, cartons, aquarelles, pastels, miniatures, vitraux, émaux, porcelaines, faïences. Eng: Portrait of mister Armand B.

SdAF-1882-749, Portrait de Mlle Lucy Leys.
Eng: Portrait of Miss Lucy Leys. She was the daughter of the painter Henri Leys (1815-99) (iR4;R9,p478).

SdAF-1883-688, Propos galant.
Eng: The gallant proposal / Amorous intentions.

SdAF-1883-689, Un peintre.
Eng: a painter. Maybe Mister G. Cain, whose studio Debras also exhibited, see no.2723?

SdAF-1883-2723, Intérieur de l’atelier de M. G. Cain; pastel (Appartient a M. G. Caïn)
Eng: Interior of the workshop of Mr. G. Cain.

SdAF-1884-680, Joueurs d’échecs; Appartient à M. Seys
Eng: Chess players.

SdAF-1884-2691, Quatre études; paysages ;
Additional info: Dessins, cartons, aquarelles, pastels, miniatures, vitraux, émaux, porcelaines, faïences. Eng: 4 studies; landscapes. Note: it probably were drawings, watercolours and/or pastels. To compare I render: 18xx, French Landscape, wc, xx, private (iR2;iR1) ; and: 18xx, Ciel d’orage (stormy sky), pastel, 23×31, A2014 (aR3;iR2;iR1).

SdAF-1884-2692, Granville.
Granville lies at the Normandy coast.

SdAF-1885- 2694, *Les chaumières, à Cernay (Oise) ;
Additional info: L’oeuvre est mentionnée, à tort, sous le n° 2594, p. 238 du livret. Eng: Thatched cottages, in Cernay (Oise).

SdAF-1885- 2695, *Cascades à Cernay, (Oise) ;
Additional info: L’oeuvre est mentionnée, à tort, sous le n° 2595, p. 238 du livret. Eng: waterfalls at Cernay (Oise).

SdAF-1887-681, Une délégation
x

SdAF-1887-2778, *Près de Boulogne (Pas-de-Calais)
Section du catalogue: Dessins, cartons, aquarelles, pastels, miniatures, vitraux, émaux, porcelaines, faïences. See link for the location of Boulogne-sur-Mer.

SdAF-1887-2779, *Un potager
Section du catalogue: Dessins, cartons, aquarelles, pastels, miniatures, vitraux, émaux, porcelaines, faïences

SdAF-1888-737, Francesco Zurbaran
x

SdAF-1888-2881, Croquis, études; fusains
SdAF-1888-2882, Croquis, études; fusains

SdAF-1889-742, Richelieu étudiant les plans d’attaque destinés au siège de la Rochelle
Eng.: Richelieu studying the plans of attack for the siege of La Rochelle. This seems to be a history painting. Now: 18xx, Richelieu étudiant les plans d’attaque destinés au siège de la Rochelle, 134×160, A1996/03/14 (iR13;iR15;iR1).

SdAF-1889-3061, Paysages; pastels
Note: more than one landscapes in pastel. To compare I render: 18xx, Sbl, Countryside landscape, pastel, 30×45, A2017/11/25 (iR17).

SdAF-1890-693, *Une redevance au vieux temps
Eng.:An old-fashioned royalty

SdAF-1890-694, *Etude
Eng.: Study.

SdAF-1890-2747, *Blanc et noir; étude
Section du catalogue: Dessins cartons, aquarelles, pastels, miniatures, vitraux, émaux, porcelaines, faïences

SdAF-1890-2748, *La route de Moulon (Seine-et-Oise); pastel
I can’t discern where this location is. To compare I render: 18xx, Petit paysage avec un chemin (small landscape with a path), pastel, 10×15, Collection Frank Meissner Germany (aR7).

SdAF-1891-451, Un membre du Conseil des Dix; étude
Eng.: A member of the Council of Ten; study. Maybe a history painting. To compare I render: 1891, The Elder, 138×112, A1986/05/21 (iR13). Note: the date and the theme show some resemblance.

SdAF-1892-499, Chasse réservée
Eng.: Restricted hunting / Reserved hunt.

SdAF-1893-509, Un jury d’examen chez les chartreux
Eng.: A board of examiners at the Carthusian monastery,

SdAF-1893-510, Un trappiste
Eng.: A Trappist monk

SdAF-1894-538, Méditation
x

SdAF-1894-539, Portrait de M. L. D…
Compare: S1849-492 + S1859-790 + S1865-587 + S1879-539.

SdAF-1894-2091, Intérieur de cour; pastel

SdAF-1895-534, Dernier sommeil
Eng.: Last sleep

SdAF-1898-2349, *Bords de rivière ; pastel
Eng.: banks of a river.

SdAF-1898-2350, *Un coin de basse-cour ; pastel
Eng.: A corner of the farmyard

 

Louis Debras at auctions:
At the posthumous auction at Hôtel Drouot of Léopold Levert there were 3 copies made by Debras, including 1 after a painting of Delacroix.

HD1883/02/26-124, Le Bœuf, (d’après Rembrandt; now in Musée du Louvre)

HD1883/02/26-125, Hamlet (after E. Delacroix)

HD1883/02/26-126, unknown (D’après Craesbeke )

 

 

Recommanded citation: “Impressionism: Louis Debras, account of his exhibited works. Last modified 2024/03/16.  https://www.impressionism.nl/debras-account/