Reflection, the Pregnant Girl, Ca 1915 Camden Town Group Artist Maurice Asselin, Ink on Paper

I feel very much drawn to this intimate work by Maurice Asselin (1882 - 1947) because of its immediacy and sensibility. There seems to be a whole novel in this drawing of a sweet looking pregnant girl wearing slippers, seated on her bed, reflecting.

Maurice Asselin (1882 - 1947) - Walter Sickert's best friend and the French artist most closely connected to the Camden Town Group - is one of the most exciting French artists of his generation. This was felt by many of his contemporaries, including Roger Fry.

Asselin had a one-man show in London with Carfax and Co in 1915, a gallery close to the Camden Group which, according to Paul Nash, was 'probably the most distinguished and exclusive gallery in London at this time’.

In Paris, Maurice Asselin had one man shows at the mythical Galerie Charpentier, the Galerie Marcel Bernheim, and the Galerie Druet.

In fact: his one man show at the Galerie Druet took place in the same year as their retrospective of Pierre Bonnard, which will give you an idea how highly regarded his art was.

An exhibition of the artist's work has also taken place at the Museum of Pont Aven since Asselin, when living in Brittany, he belonged to Pont Aven movement.

Art critics describe Maurice Asselin's work as literary, sensitive, restrained. Walter Sickert calls him: "not only one of the most distinguished artists among the younger artists, but also one of the many sane and normal individualities who are really the important constituants of modern French painting".

Paintings by the artist are in museums all over the world, from Moscow to New York via Christchurch, New Zealand. Four of his works are in the Pompidou Centre in Paris. The Fitzwilliam in Cambridge owns an oil, as does the Hepworth, Wakefield.

Our China ink drawing measures 31 x 31 cm at sight. Asselin's signature - presumably previously on the original mount - is attached on a separate paper to the left. It is likely to be an early work bu the artist, dating from the 1910s. The overall size in a more recent frame is 44 x 44 cm

Nous parlons français, und wir sprechen auch Deutsch! Paintings may be viewed in Norwich and in Paris, as well as in London and Cambridge by appointment. Please contact us if you would like further details and images of an artwork.