Caption:
Henri Gervex (10 December 1852 - 1929) was a French painter born in Paris. His early work belonged almost exclusively to the mythological genre, which served as an excuse for the painting of the nude not always in the best of taste. He later devoted himself to representations of modern life and achieved signal success with his Dr Pan at the Salptrihre ("The Operation"). He was entrusted with several important official paintings and the decoration of public buildings. Among the first are The Distribution of Awards (1889) at the Palais de l'Industrie, The Coronation of Nicolas II, The Mayors Banquet (1900), and the portrait group La République Française; and among the second, the ceiling for the Salle des Fêtes at the hotel de yule (hotel de ville), Paris, and the decorative panels painted in conjunction with Blanchon for the maine of the 19th arrondissement, Paris. ©TopFoto