Cécile Hertz-Eyrolles

French Art Shop had the honor of participating in the private sale, held in the home and studio of Cécile Hertz-Eyrolles, an artist whose works are imbued with deep emotion. Following a recent succession, there was a certain excitement in the Parisian art world, and Cécile's works were celebrated through several retrospectives this fall.

We are delighted to present a selection of her creations—true reflections of her life journey and unique artistic sensibility. Here are the highlights of her remarkable story.

 

 

Cécile Hertz-Eyrolles was born on November 7, 1875, in the 8th arrondissement of Paris, into an intellectual family. From an early age, she developed a passion for the arts, which she pursued at the Académie Carrière. Under the guidance of the Symbolist master Eugène Carrière, a close friend of Rodin, she absorbed his influence and wisdom. Carrière, a mentor to many, also shaped the path of artists such as Matisse, whom Cécile encountered during her formative years at the academy.

 

Her thirst for culture drove her to travel to artistic hubs such as Venice, Florence, Siena, Naples, Palermo, Brussels, Brittany, and London. These journeys granted her access to private collections and renowned museums, where she discovered the works of great masters and gradually forged her own artistic identity.

An identity without borders, as the success of her interior scenes and still lifes did not prevent her from painting portraits, landscapes, marines, and monuments during her travels, capturing them with her singular sensitivity and a masterful command of light.

 

 

“Painting was my first passion. Its language, the emotions I feel it all tempts and delights me.”

 

In her early 30s, Cécile met Léon Eyrolles, a French politician and entrepreneur. Together, they built a family, welcoming three children: Marc, Solange, and Béatrice. They settled in Cachan, south of Paris, where Léon became mayor and Cécile set up her studio in their Art Deco-style home.

 

 

Encouraged by her mentors, Cécile exhibited her work in prestigious venues such as the Nouveau Salon d’Automne, the Salon National des Beaux-Arts, and the Salon des Artistes Indépendants. In 1939, she reached a pinnacle with an personal exhibition at the renowned Galerie Charpentier in Paris. However, the outbreak of World War II brought tragedy: she was deported to the Drancy camp due to her Jewish heritage. Her husband’s intervention secured her release, but the experience left a lasting mark on her artistic sensitivity.

 

After Léon’s death in 1946, Cécile gradually stepped away from painting. Yet her work continued to inspire. By the 1970s, she was one of the oldest residents of Cachan, passing away just shy of her 100th birthday. In 2024, the city honored her with a summer retrospective. Several of her works were acquired by public collections, including the Eugène Carrière Museum near the place where her artistic journey had begun.