64 - Louis-Philippe KAMM (1882–1959)

Louis-Philippe KAMM (1882–1959) Portrait of a Young Alsatian Woman Oil on canvas, signed upper right, 1952. H_90 cm W_70 cm Louis-Philippe Kamm was an Alsatian painter and illustrator born on April 11, 1882, in Strasbourg, where he died on June 16, 1959. Trained at the Strasbourg School of Decorative Arts and later at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich, he furthered his education through various study trips, notably to Paris and southern Europe. Deeply attached to his Alsatian roots, he drew much of his inspiration from the landscapes and rural life of northern Alsace, particularly around Drachenbronn, a village to which he remained deeply connected. Known as the “Master of Drachenbronn,” he painted numerous portraits of peasants, scenes of daily life, and depictions of villages and regional landscapes. He also distinguished himself as a talented draftsman and illustrator, notably through his work on the book *L’Ami Fritz* by Erckmann-Chatrian. Alongside his artistic career, he taught at the Strasbourg School of Decorative Arts beginning in 1925, before becoming its director in 1945, a position he held until 1953. Louis-Philippe Kamm’s painterly style is characterized by meticulously constructed paintings in which composition plays an essential role. His brushwork is structured, with precise rendering of forms and volumes that lends solidity to his subjects and gives his paintings an almost sculptural quality.