Alfred Grévin
Encyclopedia
Alfred Grévin was a 19th century caricaturist, best known during his lifetime for his caricature silhouettes of contemporary Parisian women. He was also a sculptor, cartoonist, and designed costumes and sets for popular theater.
He founded with journalist Arthur Meyer
the Musée Grévin
, a waxwork museum.
in 1827. He studied natural sciences and drawing at the College of Tonnerre
. His first job was as an apprentice draughtsman
for Paris à Lyon à la Méditerranée railways
. In his free time, he would draw for fun.
In 1853 he moved to Paris. He put his cartooning talents at the service of the newspaper Le Gaulois
, then headed by Arthur Meyer
. He then went on to work for Le Journal amusant and Le Charivari
. To supplement his meager salary as a cartoonist and illustrator, he worked as a theater costume designer, and wrote plays.
By 1867 he was able settle in a home in Saint-Mandé
, at http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=16+bis+rue+de+B%C3%A9rulle,+Saint-Mand%C3%A9,+France&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=57.902911,135.263672&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Rue+de+B%C3%A9rulle,+94160+Saint-Mand%C3%A9,+Val-de-Marne,+Ile-de-France,+France&ll=48.841459,2.416456&spn=0.001497,0.004128&z=19&layer=c&cbll=48.841482,2.416606&panoid=rQG7YyKbdksCkfGpMMoPsQ&cbp=12,268.08,,0,5.716bis rue de Berulle].
In 1869 he founded l'Almanach des Parisiennes with Louis Adrien Huart, and in 1875 Grévin designed the 673 costumes for Jacques Offenbach
's opéra-féerie Le voyage dans la lune
, and later for Charles Lecocq's opera comique The Daughter of Madame Angot
In 1881, Meyer had the idea, along with Alfred Grévin, to represent the personalities that made the front page of the news section as wax mannequin
s, which allowed visitors – in an era before photography was used in the press – to put a face to the names in the news. This was the beginning of the Musée Grévin
, which opened its doors on 5 June 1882 and swiftly became successful. Grévin met Émile Zola
on several occasions, whom he wanted to include a portrait of in his collections.
Grevin spent the final two years of his life paralyzed, and died of a sudden stroke of apoplexy in 1892 at Saint-Mandé
.
He founded with journalist Arthur Meyer
Arthur Meyer
Arthur Meyer may refer to:* Arthur Meyer , French journalist.* Arthur Meyer , German botanist....
the Musée Grévin
Musée Grévin
The Musée Grévin is a waxwork museum in Paris located on the Grands Boulevards in the IXe arrondissement on the right bank of the Seine, at 10, Boulevard Montmartre, Paris, France. It is open daily; an admission fee is charged....
, a waxwork museum.
Career
Alfred Grevin was born in a house in the main street of ÉpineuilÉpineuil
Épineuil is a commune in the Yonne department in Burgundy in north-central France.-References:*...
in 1827. He studied natural sciences and drawing at the College of Tonnerre
Tonnerre
Tonnerre is a commune in the Yonne department in Burgundy in north-central France.-Twin town:* Nenagh, North Tipperary, Ireland-References:*...
. His first job was as an apprentice draughtsman
Draughtsman
A draughtsman or draftsman , is a person skilled in drawing, either:*drawing for artistic purposes, or*technical drawing for practical purposes such as architecture or engineering...
for Paris à Lyon à la Méditerranée railways
Chemins de fer de Paris à Lyon et à la Méditerranée
The Compagnie des chemins de fer de Paris à Lyon et à la Méditerranée was a French railway company ....
. In his free time, he would draw for fun.
In 1853 he moved to Paris. He put his cartooning talents at the service of the newspaper Le Gaulois
Le Gaulois
Le Gaulois was a French daily newspaper, founded in 1868 by Edmond Tarbe and Henri de Pene. After a printing stoppage, it was revived by Arthur Meyer in 1882 with notable collaborators Paul Bourget, Alfred Grévin, Abel Hermant, and Ernest Daudet...
, then headed by Arthur Meyer
Arthur Meyer (journalist)
Arthur Meyer was a French press baron. He was director of Le Gaulois, a notable conservative French daily newspaper that was eventually taken over by Le Figaro in 1929...
. He then went on to work for Le Journal amusant and Le Charivari
Le Charivari
Le Charivari was an illustrated newspaper published in Paris, France from 1832 to 1937. It published caricatures, political cartoons and reviews...
. To supplement his meager salary as a cartoonist and illustrator, he worked as a theater costume designer, and wrote plays.
By 1867 he was able settle in a home in Saint-Mandé
Saint-Mandé
Saint-Mandé is a commune of the Val-de-Marne department in Île-de-France in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris. It is one of the most densely populated municipalities in Europe.-History:...
, at http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=16+bis+rue+de+B%C3%A9rulle,+Saint-Mand%C3%A9,+France&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=57.902911,135.263672&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Rue+de+B%C3%A9rulle,+94160+Saint-Mand%C3%A9,+Val-de-Marne,+Ile-de-France,+France&ll=48.841459,2.416456&spn=0.001497,0.004128&z=19&layer=c&cbll=48.841482,2.416606&panoid=rQG7YyKbdksCkfGpMMoPsQ&cbp=12,268.08,,0,5.716bis rue de Berulle].
In 1869 he founded l'Almanach des Parisiennes with Louis Adrien Huart, and in 1875 Grévin designed the 673 costumes for Jacques Offenbach
Jacques Offenbach
Jacques Offenbach was a Prussian-born French composer, cellist and impresario. He is remembered for his nearly 100 operettas of the 1850s–1870s and his uncompleted opera The Tales of Hoffmann. He was a powerful influence on later composers of the operetta genre, particularly Johann Strauss, Jr....
's opéra-féerie Le voyage dans la lune
Le voyage dans la lune (operetta)
Le voyage dans la Lune is a opéra-féerie in four acts and 23 scenes by Jacques Offenbach. Loosely based on the novel From the Earth to the Moon by Jules Verne, its French libretto was by Albert Vanloo, Eugène Leterrier and Arnold Mortier.It premiered on 26 October 1875 at the Théâtre de la Gaîté...
, and later for Charles Lecocq's opera comique The Daughter of Madame Angot
La fille de Madame Angot
La fille de Madame Angot is an opéra comique in three acts by Charles Lecocq. The French text was by Clairville, Paul Siraudin and Victor Koning.-Performance history:...
In 1881, Meyer had the idea, along with Alfred Grévin, to represent the personalities that made the front page of the news section as wax mannequin
Mannequin
A mannequin is an often articulated doll used by artists, tailors, dressmakers, and others especially to display or fit clothing...
s, which allowed visitors – in an era before photography was used in the press – to put a face to the names in the news. This was the beginning of the Musée Grévin
Musée Grévin
The Musée Grévin is a waxwork museum in Paris located on the Grands Boulevards in the IXe arrondissement on the right bank of the Seine, at 10, Boulevard Montmartre, Paris, France. It is open daily; an admission fee is charged....
, which opened its doors on 5 June 1882 and swiftly became successful. Grévin met Émile Zola
Émile Zola
Émile François Zola was a French writer, the most important exemplar of the literary school of naturalism and an important contributor to the development of theatrical naturalism...
on several occasions, whom he wanted to include a portrait of in his collections.
Grevin spent the final two years of his life paralyzed, and died of a sudden stroke of apoplexy in 1892 at Saint-Mandé
Saint-Mandé
Saint-Mandé is a commune of the Val-de-Marne department in Île-de-France in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris. It is one of the most densely populated municipalities in Europe.-History:...
.
External links
- Les Parisiennes, a collection of Grévin's illustrations
- Grévin's illustrations in Le Journal amusant digital editions from Bibliothèque nationale de FranceBibliothèque nationale de FranceThe is the National Library of France, located in Paris. It is intended to be the repository of all that is published in France. The current president of the library is Bruno Racine.-History:...
- Personalities of Tonnerre
- Heritage City of Saint Mandé
- Works by Grévin on Artchive, ArtNet, Original Art, Christie's Art, Liveauctioneers, Great Caricatures