Robert Antral was born on July 13, 1895 in Châlons-en-Champagne, a city now known as Châlons-sur-Marne. After studying at the École des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, interrupted by his military service during the First World War where he was injured, he then trained at Cormon's workshop.
A versatile artist, Robert Antral distinguished himself as a watercolourist and received the prestigious Blumenthal Prize in 1926. He became a member of the Salon des Indépendants as well as the Salon d'Automne, where he exhibited paintings characterised by cold colours and an often urban atmosphere, capturing the enclosed spaces of ports and suburbs.
In addition to his painting, Robert Antral contributed to cultural life through his illustrations of literary works, working in particular with authors such as Mac Orlan, Maurice Genevoix, and Henry de Monfreid. His talent also extended to the creation of posters, including "Le Jour de la Paix", preserved at the Musée d'Histoire contemporaine in Paris.
A retrospective of his work was organized posthumously in 1945 at the Musée Galliera in Paris, testifying to his influence in the French artistic community. In homage to his memory, the city of Paris awarded the "Prix Antral" for several years. A bronze bust made by Léon Borgey is now exhibited at the Musée des beaux-arts et d'archéologie in Châlons-en-Champagne, a city that also inaugurated a square in his name on October 4, 1953.
Robert Antral's work continues to be celebrated, notably through dedicated exhibitions such as the one scheduled at the Museum of Fine Arts and Archaeology in Châlons-en-Champagne in 2010, thus offering a unique opportunity to discover or rediscover this prolific artist.
