René Gruau-in Paris

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We don't always know what we'll get with an artist. Is his home the embodiment of his art?

the artist at work in his Paris apartment, 1951.

In the case of René Gruau there are no Surprises. His women would be quite at home.
Elegant, Soignee, Refined-All come to mind. Gruau was perhaps the illustrator of his times-and became inexorably linked to Christian Dior's 1947 debut collection of full skirts and cinched waists known as "The New Look." An exhibition at Somerset House in London a few years ago bears witness to the long partnering of Dior and Gruau.

A star emboldens his signature and his women mostly insinuate themselves across a white veneer of paper. That graphic white-black- red punctuate Gruau's drawings. A slash of Gruau's ink could represent Soignee, Mystery, Sex-or all three. That is the gift of Gruau's art. In a period where there were no Helen Gurley Brown's, Rene Gruau was selling-signaling that women were sensual and seductive.

The Paris apartment Gruau painted in was an ideal backdrop to his work. Can you imagine Gruau's women anywhere else?

the artist's atelier

his drawings- paintings hang amongst Classical objects, at far right, a masked bust, a recurring theme in his art

below, a Jean Desses, masked sphinx label, 1952.

The Salon and the Atelier flow into one another-French chairs, English tables, fresh flowers-blood red walls underlined by that all important Gruau white in fabrics, white moldings and statuary. True to his approach in Art-Gruau believed the Classic form, the elegant line. His home while quite beautiful- is the backdrop to his more alluring women. A Gruau women is confidently-nonchalantly on the edge-should we say? Why not?

Is it just a little reminiscent of Beaton's Reddish House?

Taking a line from the most elegant of all artists -René Gruau translates Lucien Lelong's Drapé a la Boldini evening gown, 1946.

A quintessentially English Dining Room with Chippendale chairs and couture colors-Shocking Pink & Malachite.

René Gruau illustration of Cristóbal Balenciaga & Marcel Rochas Evening Gowns, 1942.

The bedroom lined with paintings and dominated by a lady in black along with bookcases, comfortable chairs and a fur bed cover. Another masked lady-this time in a portrait.

the Gruau woman of Mystery

another view of the bedroom with its wall to wall paintings

the artist in 1986

René Gruau, son of an Italian count-and the aristocratic French Maria Gruau-Renato Zavagli Ricciardelli delle Caminate began drawing at the age of 14 to support himself and his mother & worked well into the 1990's. He died in 2004 at the age of 95.




footnotes-

all images of the Gruau apartment are from PLAISIR de FRANCE, Septembre 1951.

Gruau illustrations 1 for Dior. 2 for Dior,1949 & 3 Maggie Rouff, from 1947. Gruau Sphinx-4 Jean Desses, 1951 & 5 for Dior, 1950. 6 illustration for Lucien Lelong,1946. 7 &  8 Evening gowns, from the 1940's. 9 & 10,11,12, illustrations by Gruau.

original pieces from the artist are offered here