The interruption of his studies by his military service and his injury during the Great War had a profound impact on his development. This traumatic experience perhaps influenced his predilection for the melancholic atmospheres and cold colors that characterize his mature work.
His training in Cormon's studio after the war placed him in a solid academic tradition while allowing him to develop his personal style. This school trained many artists who left their mark on early 20th-century French art.
Recognition came quickly with the prestigious Blumenthal Prize in 1926, an award that established his reputation as an accomplished watercolorist. His membership in the Salons des Indépendants and d'Automne confirmed his position in the official Parisian art circuits.
His pictorial universe is characterized by a particular vision of urban modernity. His representations of ports and suburbs, treated in cold tones, reveal a sensitivity to the social and architectural transformations of his time. This approach distinguishes him from the Impressionists by a more introspective vision of the urban condition.
Alongside his painting, he developed a prolific illustrator's work, collaborating with renowned authors such as Mac Orlan, Maurice Genevoix, and Henry de Monfreid. This versatility demonstrates his mastery of drawing and his ability to adapt his style to literary demands.
His poster creations, notably "Peace Day" preserved at the Museum of Contemporary History, reveal his commitment to the applied arts and his sensitivity to the political issues of his time.
The 1945 posthumous retrospective at the Musée Galliera confirmed his artistic influence. The establishment of the "Prix Antral" by the city of Paris, the bust of Léon Borgey at the Musée de Châlons-en-Champagne, and the inauguration of the square in his name in 1953 testify to the lasting recognition of his work. The 2010 exhibition in his hometown confirms the continuing interest in this artist who captured the spirit of his times.
