Georgette Agutte: Rediscovering a Fauvist Painter Through Key Works

Georgette Agutte (1867–1927), a French artist, is being highlighted through an analysis of ten significant paintings. Born in Paris, she studied under Gustave Moreau and at the École des Beaux-Arts, later becoming involved with avant-garde circles including Henri Matisse and Georges Rouault. Her work evolved from Post-Impressionism toward Fauvism, characterized by bold color and expressive brushwork. Agutte exhibited at the Salon des Indépendants and co-founded the Salon d'Automne. She created portraits, nudes, landscapes, and still lifes, often depicting her garden in Bonnières-sur-Seine and her husband, politician Marcel Sembat. Her art, which also included sculpture and decorative arts, gained recognition posthumously. The couple's home in Bonnières-sur-Seine is now a cultural institution. Agutte's contributions reflect her role as a notable woman artist in early 20th-century French art.