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Guy Arnoux

Guy Arnoux was a French illustrator, artist and graphic designer, principally creating illustrations and poster designs.

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Guy Arnoux (26 August 1886 - 5 August 1951) was a French illustrator, artist and graphic designer, principally creating illustrations and poster designs.1

He illustrated almost eighty books, including large format ones published by Devambez. Much of his œuvre, notably his prints, are in the La contemporaine archives2

Life

Early life

He was born in the 7th arrondissement of Paris and was part of the 'Cercle des Mortigny', founded by Dimitri d'Osnobichine in 1908 and active until the 1950s.3 This gathered Paris celebrities and artists such as Paul Poiret, Bernard Boutet de Monvel, Pierre Brissaud, Georges Villa, Joë Hamman, Lucien-Victor Guirand de Scevola, Joseph Pinchon, André Warnod, Pierre Troisgros, Jean Routier, Henri Callot, Pierre Falize and Pierre Prunier.4.

First World War works

Propaganda

In 1914 he was conscripted into the artillery.5 Throughout the war he produced patriotic works in almost every medium of the decorative arts - liner decor, posters, menus, board games, posters, programmes, costumes, fans, scarves and even shoes.

His trademark was small detailed figures with thick black contours, enhanced by flat areas of bright colour in watercolour. He also designed the Guy-Arnoux capitales typeface in 1914, commissioned by Georges Peignot for the Fonderie G. Peignot & Fils6 He also produced several propagandistic illustrations, drawings and posters during the same period.

Illustrations of everyday life

Humour

Later life

Painting by Arnoux for the American Field Service, showing Gilbert du Motier de La Fayette and George Washington (Château de Blérancourt). source ↗

He was demobbed in 1918 after being wounded and requested an attachment to the French Navy. He was made a Peintre de la Marine and also received the title of "peintre du Département de la Marine" in 1921.7

He died at the family estate of La Rousselière in Ardon, Loiret after a day's hunting.8

Books illustrated by him

  • Le Dernier des Rochehaut by Henri Chervet, Paris, Devambez, 1920
  • Le Soldat français dans les guerres, Paris, Société Littéraire de France, 1917
  • Les Françaises, Quatre images allégoriques, Paris, Devambez, 1918
  • Les Marins de France, commissioned by the Secrétariat d’État à la Marine, Draeger, 1918
  • Chansons du marin français au temps de la marine en bois, Paris, Devambez, 1920
  • Les Caractères observés par un vieux philosophe du haut de sa fenêtre, Chez Devambez, 1920
  • La Peur de Mr Fierce, Claude Farrere, Le Livre 1922
  • Essais sur le théâtre 1921-1922 by Jean des Vallières. (Six illustrations), aux Editions La Douce France, 1923
  • Essais sur le théâtre 1923-1924 by Jean des Vallières. (Cinq illustrations), aux Editions La Douce France, 1925
  • La Bataille, Claude Farrere, Mornay "Les beaux Livres" 1926
  • Thomas l'agnelet gentilhomme de fortune, Claude Farrere, Javal et Bourdeaux 1927
  • Les Silences du colonel Bramble, by André Maurois, Jean Variot, 1928
  • La belle Eugénie, by Marc Elder, Les éditions pittoresques, 1928
  • Saint-cendre, Maurice Maindron, Mornay "Les beaux Livres" 1930
  • Le Vitriol de lune, by Henri Beraud, Mornay "Les beaux Livres" 1931
  • Les Œuvres by François Villon, Paris, Rombaldi, 1935
  • L'Aigle de mer by Édouard Peisson, Paris, Éditions de la nouvelle France, 1941
  • Le Beau sergent du roi, by Henri Beraud, Éditions Littéraires de France 1941
  • Napoléon III by Octave Aubry, Paris, Fayard, collection Le Livre de demain, 22 bois originaux
  • Main d'Arc, Jean de La Varende, Paris, Rombaldi, 1943
  • L'Ancre de miséricorde by Pierre Mac Orlan, Paris, Éditions de la nouvelle France, 1944
  • Souvenirs d’un paria, Les Mémoires de Sanson, by Honoré de Balzac, Paris, 1944, pochoirs
  • Terres de débat by Carton de Wiart, Paris, Éditions Littéraires de France, 1945
  • Pontcarral by Albéric Cahuet, Paris, Mornay, 1946
  • Pays d'Ouche, Jean de La Varende, Paris, Rombaldi, 1946
  • Les Cavaliers sous les voûtes de Notre-Dame, Père de Reviers des Mauny, Esprit et Tradition, Daniel Deschênes, éditeur, Paris, 1946
  • Le Bien-Aimé by Sacha Guitry, Paris, Editions Raoul Solar, 1950
  • Les Temps ne sont plus... Souvenirs de vingt-cinq années de vénerie by Robert Villatte des Prûgnes, Moulins, Crépin-Leblond, 1951
  • "Leclerc" by Charles Pichon, Paris, S.E.F.I., 1948

References (in French)

  1. "Guy Arnoux (1886-1951)". data.bnf.fr. Retrieved 2024-02-27.
  2. "Calames". calames.abes.fr. Retrieved 2024-01-02.
  3. "Les Modes, revue mensuelle illustrée des Arts décoratifs appliqués à la femme ", février 1906 available at Gallica
  4. "Bec et ongles, satirique hebdomadaire". 16 January 1932.
  5. "Arnoux-guy". peintres-officiels-de-la-marine.com. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  6. Cf. Jean-Luc Froissart (2004). L’or, l’âme et les cendres du plomb: l'épopée des Peignot, 1815-1983. Paris: librairie Tekhnê. ISBN 2-9522836-0-5..
  7. Ministère de la Marine (1922). Annuaire de la Marine 1922. Paris: Imprimerie nationale. p. 106..
  8. Archives de Paris 7e, acte de naissance no. 1130, année 1886 (with marginal note of death)

Bibliography (in French)

  • Annie Renonciat (2013). "Arnoux, Guy". Dictionnaire du livre de jeunesse. Paris: Éditions du Cercle de la Librairie. p. 43. ISBN 978-2-7654-1401-8.
External links