Henri Pontoy

1888-1968

Biography

Henri Pontoy was born in Reims, is a recognized painter as one of the last French orientalists.

He joined the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, where he studied under Luc-Olivier Merson, a painter and illustrator known for his religious and historical themes. Pontoy spent time with painters from the Barbizon School such as Corot and Millet, which influenced his practice of plein air painting and his approach to oriental landscapes.

From the beginning of his career, Pontoy exhibited his engravings at the Salon des Artistes Français and his paintings at the Salon of the Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts, the Salon d’Automne, as well as the Salon of Algerian Orientalist Artists.

Quickly, his work shifted towards the representation of the oriental world and North Africa, which would become his favorite subjects throughout his career. In 1926, he received a travel grant from the Société coloniale des artistes français, founded in 1908 by Louis Dumoulin to encourage artists to paint in the colonies and organize art salons. With this grant, he traveled through various North African countries, notably Tunisia, where he became a member of the Tunisian Salon, as well as Morocco and what was known, then, as French West Africa.

His palette is characterized by warm tones, and he avoids overloading his canvases, aiming to capture and highlight what he observes during his travels. His work, whether drawings, oil paintings, or watercolors, enjoyed significant success during his lifetime.

In 1930, Pontoy settled in Ouarzazate, Morocco, where he befriended the painter Jacques Majorelle. At that time, he became a professor of arts and letters at the Moulay Idriss high school in Fez. In 1933, he won the Grand Prix of the city of Algiers. World War II forced him to return to France, but he resumed his travels in 1947 with Jacques Majorelle, this time to Guinea, Ivory Coast, and then Cameroun.

Henri Pontoy passed away on January 12, 1968, in Six-Fours-les-Plages, Provence, leaving behind him a rich artistic legacy that celebrates the landscapes and inhabitants of North Africa that he explored so deeply.

Henri Pontoy

1888-1968

Biography

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Works available

Porteuses d’eau

Portrait de femme africaine

Portrait de femme africaine