Paul Emile Felix - Boudoir Art

Paul Emile Felix is considered one of the major artist working in the genre, his style is a little bit more reserved than Maurice Milliere or Louis Icart, less overtly sexual and more of the demure young lady enjoying life. Yes, sometimes their clothes have slipped a little, showing more than polite company would accept but on the whole, just beautiful pictures for your boudoir.

Whilst his works do appear on the market regularly, he was not as prolific as Jean Hardy or Icart, but they are seen more often than those by Georges Grellet or William Ablett, and from the edition sizes I guess thay were created for a wider audience that the niche market of the more erotic images. Where edition sizes and annotated they tend to be from 350, however, I rarely see a high numbered print, like 324/350, quite often they are low a number, which may suggest that not all of the 350 were printed.

Like so many of these boudoir artist printmakers, their life story has not been recorded. Paul Emile Felix is one such name that has failed to leave much of a mark, with little or no biographical details published. His legacy is his art. I have seen both auction houses and dealers stating that his full name was in fact Paul Emile Felix Raissiguier.

Paul Emile Felix Raissiguier (1851-1932) was an Algerian born French landscape and orientalist genre painter - is this our man ?? time to search for signatures. The oil painting here is title "Sunset" and signed "Emile Raissiguier 1881" and although this signed I can't see the signature clearly, but is doesn't look similar. On another landscape owned by the Ville D'Paris, the signature reads "E Rassiguier" - click here to view.

I have reservations about this attribution, nothing quite fits, it's not his style, signature or even name. The date don't feel correct either, these images tend to be the work of younger man, which often develop in to a more sophisticated style, Louis Icart for example. It would be unusual for an artist who specialised in landscapes and now in his lates 60's to suddenly develop a fresh "art deco" boudoir style more associated with someone in theirs 20's or 30's.

"Friends" signed P E Felix attributed to Raissiguier.
See - Annex Galleries

So who was he ?? Was "P E Felix" a pseudonym for another artist or perhaps the "Paul Emile" isn't even correct but just result of the earlier probably miss attribution ? ........... and that leads no where as well, no other Felix with initials of P E.............. but at the end of the day do we really need to worry ? NO of course we don't, they are all beautiful prints created to enjoy looking at and that reason is enough to continue to enjoy owning them.

Postcard versions of the etching were published in period by such companies as Editions E K & Co, Paris.

Also, cheap quality lithographic reproductions were available complete with facsimile signature and faux plate marks.

and just to avoid any confusion - here are sample pencil signatures for our P E Felix.

To return to the "Boudoir Art" artist index - CLICK HERE

This blog is "free to all" with no joining fees - financed by the few clicks on sponsored adverts.