Michel Fronti

About the Artwork

This exceptional hunting still life pastel depicts a hare with masterful technique and keen sensitivity to light and form. Created circa 1900 by French artist Michel Fronti (1862-1936), the work exemplifies the artist's renowned virtuosity in pastel and his ability to capture the subtle textures and natural beauty of his subjects. The composition demonstrates Fronti's post-Impressionist approach to still life, combining careful observation with expressive handling of the pastel medium.

About the Artist

Michel Gabriel Joseph Toussaint Fronti was a distinguished French painter and pastel artist, born in Marseille on November 3, 1862 and died in the same city on September 20, 1936. Son of an artist, he manifested a strong inclination for painting from a young age. He followed the usual route of painters from the south of France: École des Beaux-Arts in Marseille (studio of Eugène Lagier), then in Paris (under Jules Lefèbvre and Benjamin-Constant). It wasn't long before he made a name for himself in the artistic world.

Member of the Salon des Artistes Français, he exhibited and obtained great success (silver medal in 1922) and numerous awards at various Salons. On his return to Marseille, he quickly found his place in the great family of Provence artists, where his kindness and smiling indulgence earned him many close friendships. Michel Fronti was honorary president of the Artists of Provence and member of the jury at the École des Beaux-Arts in Marseille.

The work of Michel Fronti, as a whole, testifies to a high artistic conscience, an aesthetic confidence and, above all, a keen sensitivity. As a pastel artist, Michel Fronti demonstrated unusual virtuosity and was fully invested in all his works.

The pedestrian victim of a traffic accident, he succumbed to his injuries seven months after the incident on September 20, 1936, aged 74.

Sources: Benezit, Dictionary of Artists; Le Petit Marseillais, 23 septembre 1936, p.3; Gérard Schurr & Pierre Cabanne: Dictionnaire des Petits Maîtres de la peinture. Les Éditions de l'Amateur, p. 311.

Technical Details

Artist: Michel Fronti (1862-1936)
Signature: Signed "M. Fronti" in the bottom left corner
Medium: Pastel on paper
Date: Circa 1900
Condition: Excellent condition, professionally restored
Dimensions: 59 × 72 cm / 23¼ × 28¼ in
Frame: 83 × 96 cm / 32½ × 37¾ in — Wood, contemporary, classic style
Origin: France