Paul Gavarni (redirected from Guillaume Sulpice Chevalier)

Gavarni, Paul 

(pseudonym of Sulpice Guillaume Chevalier). Born Jan. 13, 1804, in Paris; died there Nov. 23, 1866. French graphic artist.

Gavarni was a self-taught artist who had brilliant mastery of the vivid and expressive sketch, lithograph, and water-color. His lithographs and caricatures, which are full of humor and striking, although not profound, observations on the everyday life of the petite bourgeoisie, bohemia, and so on, were included in many Parisian publications. During his stay in England (1847-51), Gavarni turned to the depiction of the dark aspects of urban life (gravures dedicated to the poor of London and life in the workers’ quarters). His last series of lithographs are deeply pessimistic. Gavarni illustrated the works of H. Balzac, E. Sue, and others.

REFERENCES

Warnod, A. Gavarni. Paris, 1926.
Adhemar, A. Catalogue (Bibliotheque nationale). Paris, 1954.