17 - Marie-Augustin ZWILLER (1850–1939)

Marie-Augustin ZWILLER (1850–1939) Young Woman with Bare Breast Oil on canvas, signed upper right. H_61 cm W_50 cm Augustin Zwiller held Jean-Jacques Henner in high esteem, and Henner’s influence is evident in several aspects of Zwiller’s painting, particularly in his treatment of female figures, the softness of his skin tones, and his use of dark backgrounds. Although not a direct student of Henner, Zwiller followed a painterly tradition closely aligned with that of the Alsatian master, while gradually developing a personal style characterized by a more colorful palette and a marked interest in scenes of everyday life. Zwiller’s admiration for Henner became particularly evident after the latter’s death in 1905, when he created a composition titled *Les Nymphes d’Alsace* as a final tribute to the master. This work stands as a significant testament to the affection he felt for his illustrious compatriot and to the place the latter occupied in his own artistic world. Suggested bibliography: Fernand-Henri Audet, Marie-Augustin Zwiller: Alsatian Painter (1850–1939), Éditions L’Alsace, Imprimerie commerciale, 1980