Symbolist Literary Still Life with Books C1935 By French Woman Artist

A wonderful symbolist and literary still life by woman artist Edme Larnaudie, depicting keys and books, as well as a frieze of stylised grapevine leaves.

Edme Larnaudie started painting and sketching at a young age, and, upon de recommendation of artist Ren Prinet, was admitted to study painting at the National Academy of Fine Arts in 1932. She studied with Fernand Sabatt, and also with the great Nabis Maurice Denis.

Along with numerous other prizes, Edme was awarded, in 1937, the Second Great Prize of Rome - while there was a general consensus that she amply deserved the First Prize! Astoundingly, her fellow students took to the streets to demonstrate for Edme, and against the misogyny of the Director of the Academy.

While Edme exhibited her paintings at the Parisian Salons, she did costume and set design of the Paris Opera Houses.

She was commissioned to do frescos for the Talence town hall, and for the art deco Post Office on the rue de Chaillot in Paris.

Works by Edme Larnaudie are now notably in the collection of the Muse Henri Martin in Cahors, where there is an entire room dedicated to the artist!

The oil on board by Larnaudie presented here dates from the 1930s or early1940s, and comes from the artist's estate. It is signed with the estate stamp at the lower right. Measuring 35 x 24 cm, the overall framed size is 52 x 44 cm