The Feathered Headband

Albert Joseph Pénot, a French painter born on February 28, 1862, in Xermaménil, Meurthe-et-Moselle, and passing on October 17, 1930, in Paris, carved a niche for himself in the art world with his evocative depictions of the female form and fantastical themes. The son of Laurent Pénot, a shop assistant, and Rosalie Grandjean, a cook, Pénot's artistic journey began under the tutelage of Gabriel Ferrier at the École des beaux-arts in Paris. His marriage to Charlotte Ernestine Jeanne Nayem in 1892 brought two children into his life, Louise and André, adding a personal dimension to his artistic endeavors. Pénot's work is celebrated for its sensual female nudes, enveloped in misty atmospheres and masterful chiaroscuro, alongside a fascination with the supernatural and witchcraft. Beyond these, he explored historicist genre scenes reminiscent of the 18th century and ventured into anticlerical vignettes, drawing parallels with contemporaries like Jehan Georges Vibert and François Brunery. His contributions to art were recognized with the palmes de l'instruction publique in 1906, and his legacy continues to captivate, as evidenced by the sale of his piece 'La Femme chauve-souris' for 137,500 £ at Sotheby's in 2018. A member of the Société des Artistes Français, Pénot's oeuvre remains a testament to his skill and imagination, bridging the realms of the real and the fantastical.