Charles James Theriat (1860-1937) - Early 20th Century Charcoal Male Nude

Description

A finely executed male nude life drawing, demonstrating a confident and accomplished hand. Subtle tonal variation and a strong sense of movement are captured with assurance and sensitivity. Indistinctly inscribed to the lower left, possibly bearing a date of 14th May. A printed label to the reverse identifies the artist. Provenance: Bonhams, 8 February 1996, lot 31; from the collection of Cefyn Embling-Evans. The work is well presented in a simple gilt-effect frame. On paper.

Condition

The condition is typical for a picture of this age including some discolouration and minor foxing. Marks and scuffs to the frame.

Size

61 x 39.5cm (24.0" x 15.6")
Framed Size: 74 x 52cm (29.1" x 20.5")

Artist Biography

Born in New York, Charles James Theriat (1860-1937) moved with his family to Europe at the age of twelve. In 1880, he began his artistic training at the Académie Julian in Paris, studying under Jules-Joseph Lefebvre (1836-1911) and Gustave-Clarence-Rodolphe Boulanger (1824-1888) until 1885. The following year, he made his public debut by exhibiting at the Paris Salon. While he occasionally painted portraits, domestic genre scenes, and urban views, particularly the canals of Venice, he was most captivated by North Africa, especially Algeria, where he spent his first winter in 1888. Theriat’s plein-air works portrayed Bedouin encampments, herdsmen tending goats, hunters on horseback, and the life of oasis towns, often presenting the desert with minimal human or animal presence. His Algerian paintings were shown at major international exhibitions around the turn of the century: Chicago (1893), Berlin (1895), Dresden (1896), Paris (1900), Buffalo (1901), and St. Louis (1904), earning medals at both the Paris and Buffalo expositions. Despite this, he never became a regular exhibitor at any American or European institution.