Biographie
French painter, watercolorist, engraver, and illustrator (1888–1948), Paul-Élie Gernez is renowned for his landscapes, seascapes, still lifes, and nudes. He drew his inspiration from Honfleur and Paris, produced numerous watercolors, and illustrated literary works, all while being named a Knight of the Legion of Honor in 1932.
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Paul-Élie Gernez was born on January 27, 1888 in Onnaing and died on September 6, 1948 in Honfleur. At the beginning of his career, he explored Cubism before returning to a more classical figuration, centered on landscapes, seascapes, still lifes, and flowers. He found his inspiration mainly in Honfleur, where he appreciated the calm and atmosphere of the estuary, dear to Eugène Boudin. Gernez worked intensely, drawing daily and producing two to four watercolors per day, practicing on nudes, still lifes, and landscapes. He divided his time between Paris and Honfleur and distinguished himself by the regularity of his work. In 1932, he was named a Knight of the Legion of Honor, and his works were acquired by French and foreign museums. He also illustrated books such asGenitrixby François Mauriac (1925) andThe Way to Paradiseby Charles Maurras (1927). Illness slowed his activity from 1942, and after a serious operation in 1946, Paul-Élie Gernez died in Honfleur in 1948.
