Antoine Blanchard, French, 1910-1988; France; Parisian street scene painting, upper class genre; influences: E. Galien Laloue, Edouard Corts, Jean BŽraud, Luigi Loir. 

 "Boulevard de la Madeleine" is and oil on canvas and is signed lower right. 18 x 21.5 in., 25 x 28.5 in. frame. Rehs Gallery Catalog of Works Number #MDBM1821.0012

Antoine Blanchard's work was well-received by local collectors and travelers to Paris following WWII. Earlier his studied at the Ecole des Beax Arts, and was awarded the Grand Prix de Rome. While studying in Paris, he fell in love with street life and decided to pursue it as the subject of his artistic career. Blanchard's scenes have been described as feathery in style and rain-swept in subject. Many of his paintings were inspired by sepia postcards in La Belle epoque. Blanchard retained a keen eye for composition and perspective, which is seen in this painting that extends from the left storefront to a flower wagon, then to buildings in the near distance. Very interestingly, manmade forms hold a higher degree of realism, while figures and other forms wildly flutter throughout the work in small, delicate strokes of paint. This luminous street scene transports one into Paris at the turn of the century.