Henry Somm

Henry Somm was an illustrator , printmaker , and watercolorist who was active in France from the late 19th century to the early 20th century. His real name was François Clément Sommier, and he is also known as a Japonisme artist influenced by Japanese art. He was particularly popular for his works that depicted the daily life of Parisian women and the customs of the time with light brushstrokes and sophisticated colors.

Henri Somm Biography

• Born in Rouen, France in 1844
• In the 1860s, he went to Paris and began to study painting in earnest.
• He started out as a portrait painter, but gradually began to distinguish himself in the world of illustration and printmaking.
• From the late 1870s onwards, he contributed illustrations to magazines such as "La Vie Moderne" and "Le Chat Noir".
• From the 1880s onwards, he produced numerous watercolors and prints depicting the daily life of Parisians and the customs of the time.
• He interacted with avant-garde artists of the time, especially Edgar Degas, and lovers of Japanese art.
• Died in Paris in 1907 (aged 63)

Representative works

• "Young Woman with an Umbrella"
• A Night at the Opera
• On the Street Corner
• In addition to the above, he has illustrated numerous other magazines and books.

The Art of Henri Somme

Henri Somme's art is characterized by his light and elegant depictions of the lifestyles and customs of Paris at the time, especially of sophisticated Parisian women. He excelled in watercolors and prints (etchings and lithographs), and his works were also popular as illustrations for magazines and books of the time. Somme's works, while influenced by Impressionism , are more decorative and exude a fin de siècle atmosphere. He is also known as one of the artists of Japonism , and was greatly influenced by Japanese art such as ukiyo-e prints in terms of composition and color. For example, it has been pointed out that his bold compositions and flat use of colors were influenced by ukiyo-e. His works are also valuable materials that convey the atmosphere of Paris at that time to the present day.

The influence of Henri Somme and his later reputation

Throughout his career, Henri Somme had a certain influence on artists of his time as an illustrator, printmaker, and watercolorist. His light and sophisticated style, particularly in the field of magazine and book illustrations, was loved by many people. It is also worth noting that, as an artist of Japonism , he contributed to the introduction and acceptance of Japanese art in the West. Today, Somme is being reevaluated as an artist who fascinatingly depicted the social climate of Paris at the end of the 19th century. Keywords such as " illustrator ," " printmaker ," " watercolorist ," " Japonism ," " Parisienne ," and " fin de siècle " are important elements in understanding Henri Somme's art. His works are collected by museums and private collectors around the world, and their appeal continues to be rediscovered through exhibitions and other events.