An extraordinary pair of Bretonne painters - pretty-well unknown as they had no need to sell their art and simply kept it at home at Squividan. When Madeleine died in 1995 at the age of 98, she bequeathed everything to the département of Finistère.
This summer, 2009, some of the works were put on show to the public in a small gallery attached to the manor house for the first time.
If you can read French, here is a reference:
Here's a summaryof their biographies (I haven't found one in English yet so the translation is mine):
Emile Simon and Madeleine Fié-Fieux lived and painted together in and around their home at Squividan in the commune of Clohars-Fouesnant, Finistère. They were attracted by the local countryside, architecture, traditional costumes and customs and recorded these in oil-paint.
Eventually, over 1500 works were amassed at the manor and left to the département, i.e. the nation and the world at large.
In 2009 the manor was openend to the public for the first time.
Emile Simon was born at Rennes, 28 February 1890 to a 'modest' family - father a printer and mother, dressmaker. He obtained a school diploma in Beaux-Arts and a bursary to study art in Paris in 1908. He further obtained the 'Prix du concours de Rome' (prize, enabling him to travel and study in Rome) but was persuaded to give up his place to an older pupil, hoping to go the following year. However, in 1913 he appeared to have gained a post as a professer in Cairo, only to be clalled-up (mobilised) at the beginning of WW1 so went back to France.
Incredibly, he was unfortunate to be taken gravely ill with the notorious 'Spanish 'flu' in 1917 and was invalided out of the army. Back at the family home in Rennes, he found manual work in order to support his family.
In 1921 we find him again as a professor of art in Nantes at which time he lost his left eye in a motoring accident. He married later that decade but in 1930, was already a widower and living with his mother at Nantes.
Several notable paintings and by him are recorded in the 1930s.
WW2 commenced and in 1943 moved to Quimper with a married couple, Philippe and Madeleine Fié-Fieux, to avoid bombardments. Philippe was a wealthy dental surgeon. By 1945 Emile had obtained the post of Director of the school of fine arts at Nantes and in 1947 they all moved in to the Manor Squividan.
At some time a little later it appears that Madeleine became a widow. Emile and Madeleine stayed togrther at Squividan for the next 30 years, painting all the while. Their relationship during this time is not totally clear. Emile Simon died in 1976, painting with his left hand for the last 4 years of his life, having suffered a stroke in 1972.
In fact, Madeleine was his pupil back in Nantes, possibly before the commencement of WW2. Born in 1897, she came from a wealthy family and was a gifted potraitist. After Emile died, she took it upon herself to conserve his works, continued to paint, and died in 1995, leaving everything to the Conseil général, Finistère.
This is the manor where they lived and painted for 30 years.
One of Emile's paintings of Madeleine - painting.
We stumbled across all this last Friday. A small gallery with 30 or so works is now open and in 3 years' time the manor itself will have been renovated, open to the public and many more of their works will be available.
His works are incredibly attractive, nearly always done outside 'on the spot' and apparently, never reworked. Beautifully cleaned and restored, for me they are of among some the most inspiring and emotive works I have ever
seen.
