Ambroise Louis Garneray (1783 – 1857) was a French corsair, painter and writer. He served under Robert Surcouf and Jean-Marie Dutertre, and was held as prisoner-of-war by the British for eight years after being captured before being repatriated at the conclusion of the Napoleonic Wars, continuing his career as a painter until his death in 1857.

Garneray was born in Paris (on Rue Saint-Andre-des-arts, in the Latin Quarter) on 19 February 1783. He was the elder son of Jean-François Garneray (1755–1837), painter of the king, who was pupil of Jacques-Louis David. At thirteen, he joined the Navy as a seaman, encouraged by his cousin, Beaulieu-Leloup, commander of the frigate Forte (“the Stout one”). Garneray sailed from Rochefort to the Indian Ocean with the frigate division under Sercey, to which the Forte belonged.

He was in fact the first Peintre de la Marine (“official painter of the Navy”).

Developing a tremor which prevented him from writing and which complicated his work as a painter, he died in Paris in 1857, a few months only before his wife was mysteriously assassinated. Garneray was buried at the Montmartre cemetery: A close friend of his had the tombstone decorated with a painter’s palette, a ship mast and the Legion of Honour.

Here are some of the paintings he made in Cherbourg, Normandy.

Ambroise Louis Garneray (1783 – 1857) was a French corsair, painter and writer. He served under Robert Surcouf and Jean-Marie Dutertre, and was held as prisoner-of-war by the British for eight years after being captured before being repatriated at the conclusion of the Napoleonic Wars, continuing his career as a painter until his death in 1857.

Garneray was born in Paris (on Rue Saint-Andre-des-arts, in the Latin Quarter) on 19 February 1783. He was the elder son of Jean-François Garneray (1755–1837), painter of the king, who was pupil of Jacques-Louis David. At thirteen, he joined the Navy as a seaman, encouraged by his cousin, Beaulieu-Leloup, commander of the frigate Forte (“the Stout one”). Garneray sailed from Rochefort to the Indian Ocean with the frigate division under Sercey, to which the Forte belonged.

He was in fact the first Peintre de la Marine (“official painter of the Navy”).

Developing a tremor which prevented him from writing and which complicated his work as a painter, he died in Paris in 1857, a few months only before his wife was mysteriously assassinated. Garneray was buried at the Montmartre cemetery: A close friend of his had the tombstone decorated with a painter’s palette, a ship mast and the Legion of Honour.

Here is the one painting of his we found dedicated to Caudebec-en-Caux, Normandy.

Ambroise Louis Garneray (1783 – 1857) was a French corsair, painter and writer. He served under Robert Surcouf and Jean-Marie Dutertre, and was held as prisoner-of-war by the British for eight years after being captured before being repatriated at the conclusion of the Napoleonic Wars, continuing his career as a painter until his death in 1857.

Garneray was born in Paris (on Rue Saint-Andre-des-arts, in the Latin Quarter) on 19 February 1783. He was the elder son of Jean-François Garneray (1755–1837), painter of the king, who was pupil of Jacques-Louis David. At thirteen, he joined the Navy as a seaman, encouraged by his cousin, Beaulieu-Leloup, commander of the frigate Forte (“the Stout one”). Garneray sailed from Rochefort to the Indian Ocean with the frigate division under Sercey, to which the Forte belonged.

He was in fact the first Peintre de la Marine (“official painter of the Navy”).

Developing a tremor which prevented him from writing and which complicated his work as a painter, he died in Paris in 1857, a few months only before his wife was mysteriously assassinated. Garneray was buried at the Montmartre cemetery: A close friend of his had the tombstone decorated with a painter’s palette, a ship mast and the Legion of Honour.

Here are two of his paintings he made in the city of Caen, Normandy.

Paul Cesar Helleu (1859 – 1927) was a French oil painter, pastel artist, drypoint etcher, and designer, best known for his numerous portraits of beautiful society women of the Belle Epoque. He also conceived the ceiling mural of night sky constellations for Grand Central Terminal in New York City. He was also the father of Jean Helleu and the grandfather of Jacques Helleu, both artistic directors for Parfums Chanel.

Helleu was commissioned in 1884 to paint a portrait of a young woman named Alice Guérin (1870–1933). They fell in love, and married on 28 July 1886. Throughout their lives together, she was his favourite model. Charming, refined and graceful, she helped introduce them to the aristocratic circles of Paris, where they became popular fixtures.

On his second trip to the United States in 1912, Helleu was awarded the commission to design was the ceiling decoration in New York City’s Grand Central Terminal. He decided on a mural of a blue-green night sky covered by the starry signs of the zodiac that cross the Milky Way. Although the astrological design was widely admired, the ceiling was covered in the 1930s. It was completely restored in 1998.

While planning for a new exhibition with Jean-Louis Forain, he died in 1927 at age 67 of peritonitis following surgery in Paris. Among many of his friends was Coco Chanel, who chose beige as her signature colour upon on his advice—the colour of the sand on the beach of Biarritz in early morning. Both his son Jean Helleu and his grandson Jacques Helleu became artistic directors for Parfums Chanel.

Here are some of his many paintings he made in Deauville, Normandy.

Jean Dufy, a French painter, was born in Le Havre and painted in the Fauvism, Impressionism, Modernism, and Cubism styles/movements. His older brother, Raoul Dufy, was also an artist and became Jean’s mentor.

He painted mostly in the Paris region, but did manage a few in Deauville. Here they are.

David Davies was an Australian artist who was associated with the Heidelberg School, the first significant Western art movement in Australia.

In 1932 Davies moved to Looe, Cornwall, England, where he died on 26 March 1939.

We found one painting of his which he made in Caudebec-en-Caux

John Cotman, a British painter, was quite active in Normandy. He spent a lot of time painting in Caen and Ouistreham (suburb of Caen).

Here is one of his paintings we found he made in Cherbourg.

William Raymond Dommersen, also Dommersheusen and Dommersheuzen, was a Dutch/English painter of Land- and Seascapes, Villages and Towns. He signed his work as W or WR Dommersen. Dommersen was born at the end of 1859 in Stratford, West Ham, London as the son of the Anglo / Dutch fine art painter Pieter Cornelis Dommersen and Anna Petronella Synja.

His parents had moved from the Netherlands in 1855 to London, England. Pre 1700 the family came from Dahlheim, near Koblenz, in Germany, so their family name was originally ‘Dommershausen’.

We found one of his paintings he made in Le Havre.

William Raymond Dommersen, also Dommersheusen and Dommersheuzen, was a Dutch/English painter of Land- and Seascapes, Villages and Towns. He signed his work as W or WR Dommersen. Dommersen was born at the end of 1859 in Stratford, West Ham, London as the son of the Anglo / Dutch fine art painter Pieter Cornelis Dommersen and Anna Petronella Synja.

His parents had moved from the Netherlands in 1855 to London, England. Pre 1700 the family came from Dahlheim, near Koblenz, in Germany, so their family name was originally ‘Dommershausen’.

We found one of his paintings he made in Caen.

Louis Valtat (1869 – 1952) was a French painter and printmaker associated with the Fauves (“the wild beasts”, so named for their wild use of color), who first exhibited together in 1905 at the Salon d’Automne. He is noted as a key figure in the stylistic transition in painting from Monet to Matisse.

He became good friends with Auguste Renoir (who painted his portrait seen in this page at the top). Here is he one painting of his we found he made in Deauville (Normandy).

Felix Edouard Vallotton was a Swiss and French painter and printmaker associated with the group of artists known as Les Nabis. He was an important figure in the development of the modern woodcut. He painted portraits, landscapes, nudes, still lifes, and other subjects in an unemotional, realistic style.

Here are his works for Deauville.

Fernand-Fortune Truffault was a French painter. He was born in Trouville-sur-Mer. He studied art in Rouen, but not much is known about this artist.

Here are his artworks he made in Deauville.

Alfred Emile Leopold Stevens was a Belgian painter, known for his paintings of elegant modern women.We found only one of his paintings dealing with Deauville.

Henri Lebasque was a French post-impressionist painter who painted throughout France. He worked on the decorations at the theatre of the Champs-Elysées and of the Transatlantique sealiner. He was friends with other artists like Raoul Dufy, Louis Valtat, and Henri Manguin.

Here are the two paintings of his we found dealing with Deauville.

Raoul Dufy (1877 – 1953) was a French painter in the Fauvism, Impressionism, Modernism and Cubism movements. He was born in Le Havre where he studied arts in the local school. He (and his younger brother Jean Dufy) both painted a lot in Normandy. He went to school in Le Havre and there became a longlife friend of fellow artist Othon Friesz.

Here are his many paintings he made of Deauville.

Jean Desire Gustave Courbet (1819 – 1877) was a French painter who led the Realism movement in 19th-century French painting. Committed to painting only what he could see, he rejected academic convention and the Romanticism of the previous generation of visual artists. Courbet, a socialist, was active in the political developments of France.

He was imprisoned for six months in 1871 for his involvement with the Paris Commune, and lived in exile in Switzerland from 1873 until his death.

Here are his works for Deauville.

Pierre Chapuis was a French painter who was also known for his theatre decors and his water paintings of Deauville and Trouville. Not much else is known about this artist.

Here are his works for Deauville.

Eugene Boudin is a real Normandy based artist, born and died in Normandy. He was an Impressionist painter and a close friend of Claude Monet. He was the son of a harbour pilot who later went on and set up a picture framing and stationery shop. His son took to the business and later set up his own shop, putting him in contact with many artists. At the age of 22 he started painting.

Here are the many paintings he made in Deauville.

Frank Boggs was an American (and later French) painter (born in the USA, died in France). He studied art in Paris, and travelled between France (Normandy), The Netherlands, Italy and Belgium. He naturelized to French citizenship. He is buried next to his artist son in Paris.

Here is the one painting we found of his of Deauville.

Georges Binet was born 1865 in Le Havre (and died 1949 in Toulon). He is a French painter known mostly for his Normandy paintings of daily life, including beaches and river scenes.

Here is the one painting of his we found he made in Deauville, Normandy.

The Trinity Abbey church in Fecamp is quite interesting. Building started in the year 659 and expanded over the centuries to become quite big church. The Fecamp City Hall is built against it, and across the road you’ll find the ruins of the Dukes of Normandy Castle.

Felix Edouard Vallotton was a Swiss and French painter and printmaker associated with the group of artists known as Les Nabis. He was an important figure in the development of the modern woodcut. He painted portraits, landscapes, nudes, still lifes, and other subjects in an unemotional, realistic style.

We found one of his paintings dealing with Le Havre.

Louis-Etienne Timmermans (1846 – 1910) was a Belgian painter, specialized in marine paintings and landscapes. He was a pupil of the Academie de Bruxelles and the Ecole des Beaux Arts de Paris.

Timmermans worked mostly in France, painting small coastal harbours, which he painted with a precise realism.

He died in 1910 in Paris. Not much else is known about him. Here is the one painting of his we found dealing with Cherbourg.

Paul Victor Jules Signac was a French Neo-Impressionist painter who, working with Georges Seurat, helped develop the Pointillist style. He started training as an architect but quickly decided he wanted to be an artist.

Here are his works for Cherbourg.