Émile Filiger
(1863-1928)

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Charles Filiger was a French painter associated with the Ponte Aven School. Filiger was born in Thann, Alsace, France. As a young adult, Filiger moved to Paris to study at the Académie Colarossi. At the Colarossi, Filiger met many important artists including Paul Gauguin. Filiger showed early signs of success, receiving financial backing fro the Comte de la Roche Foucauld. Filiger was asked to illustrate the publication “L’Imaginier” for one of his biggest fans, Alfred Jarry.

Andre Breton was another collector of Filiger paintings. Breton appreciated the surrealist elements in Filiger’s paintings, which was not common among all Pont Aven artists.

In 1889 Filiger moved to Brittney to paint in the circle of Gauguin and the Pont Aven School. Filiger was known for keeping to himself and maintaining a mysterious persona. The Breton landscape seemed to lend itself towards Filger’s aesthetic. Filiger’s paintings were characterized by their austere figures and geometric simplicity. Many of his compositions were influenced by Italian and Byzantine styles.

Filiger spent most of his time living in a small Breton town known as Plougastel-Daoclas, near to Pont Aven. Filiger was not one for posh living quarters and preferred to set up his studio in cellar spaces. Filiger painted numerous gouache paintings in addition to his larger oil pieces.

Filiger enjoyed the villages in Brittany surrounding Pont Aven and eventually adopted completely Pagan views, renouncing Christianity and Christian Mysticism. Filiger is now embraced as an eccentric painter who has given us a unique view of the Breton people and culture. Filiger’s paintings are in major museum collections throughout Europe and the United States. Do you think you own a painting by Charles Filiger? Contact us. We are the experts on Charles Filiger.