Born in 23rd April 1869 in Le Mans (Sarthe), died in Paris 1956, Dominique Charles Fouqeray was a major French marine painter who had a close professional relationship with the French Navy. While the rest of the French artists fully dived into innovation and the birth of the impressionism, he dedicated himself into the tight realism of his romantic portrayals of the French maritime history. This made him a popular illustrator for publications and books, including some of Rudyard Kipling’s writings.
He started exhibiting in the Salons before his 21st birthday. He studied under portraitist Alexander Cabenel and historical painter Fernand Cormon. Their influence is heavy in his compositions, but events of the First World War influenced Fouqueray’s direction even more. He became an official painter to the Navy and sailed on several tours to the French Colonies in Africa, Asia and the Australian continents. He also won several awards in his career and was made Officier de la Légion d’Honneur in 1909.
A work considered to be Fouqueray’s most important painting of World War I may be found hanging in the Museum of Great War in Versailles
Fouqeray visited Thessaloniki at the end of the World war one. His painting, entitled “Port a Salonique 1918” was sold by Christie’s Paris on 25 March 2005 (sale number 5400, lot number 859) for 5400 euro.
