Charles Roussel
French, 1861 - 1936
Born in northern France in the town of Tourcoing, Charles Roussel spent time as a naval officer before entering the Academie des Beaux Arts in 1882. In Paris he kept a studio at 77 rue d’Amsterdam next to Edouard Manet. For the next four years he was a pupil of Cabanel and Weerts painting in the academic style with strong emphasis on the figure. In the summer of 1882 Roussel traveled to Berck-sur-mer located on the Normandy coast. He was so inspired by the sea and coastline that he settled there in 1884 and opened a studio on rue Perrochaud. In Berck he is thought to have produced over 2, 000 paintings and drawings.
Roussel’s work is extremely versatile. In addition to rendering realistic scenes of coastal fishing life he began a series of impressionist paintings in 1889 that focused on the qualities of light and atmosphere. Subsequently, he was considered one of the best painters working on the Normandy coast. His work received much acclaim in Europe and in 1887 he began exhibiting at the annual Salon des Artistes Francais where he exhibited for the next forty-eight years. His first one-man show containing 109 paintings was held in 1906 at the Galerie des Capucines in Paris. In addition to exhibiting at many European venues Roussel’s reputation grew in America where he exhibited at the Universal Exhibitions at St. Louis and St. Petersburg in 1904.
Roussel’s work is extremely versatile. In addition to rendering realistic scenes of coastal fishing life he began a series of impressionist paintings in 1889 that focused on the qualities of light and atmosphere. Subsequently, he was considered one of the best painters working on the Normandy coast. His work received much acclaim in Europe and in 1887 he began exhibiting at the annual Salon des Artistes Francais where he exhibited for the next forty-eight years. His first one-man show containing 109 paintings was held in 1906 at the Galerie des Capucines in Paris. In addition to exhibiting at many European venues Roussel’s reputation grew in America where he exhibited at the Universal Exhibitions at St. Louis and St. Petersburg in 1904.
