Artist: SEM (Georges Goursat dit - (1863 - 1934))
Title: Champagne Dry Monopole - Heidsieck & Cie
Date: circa 1927
Size: 44.9 x 61 in / 250 x 370 cm
Materials and Techniques: Oil on canvas
Additional Details:
Oil on canvas by the famous Belle Epoque caricaturist Georges Goursat, known as SEM.
It shows the famous champagne merchant Charles Heidsieck next to a very large bottle (Nebuchadnezzar?) of his famous Dry Monopole.
The painting was probably stored at the entrance to the cellars of the Heidsieck house.
Its format is exceptional. Later, flyers and menus with the same design were printed by the Heidsieck house.
Charles Heidsieck was born in 1822. At 29, he took over the champagne house created by his great uncle 70 years earlier. In 1852, he left for the American continent, still virgin of any champagne trade. The American people will nickname him “Champagne Charlie”, a song will even be dedicated to him. On his return, he conquered Belgium and then England. The international exhibitions of this period allowed it to make itself known and to open its doors to the royal courts.
Georges Goursat was born in 1863 in Perigueux and died in 1934 in Paris. In 1883, he made his first drawings published in a local newspaper. In 1884, he took drawing lessons from Albert Bertoletti and in 1886 his career was launched.
Further information and photographs available upon request.
|