Eugène Boch
Encyclopedia
Eugène Boch was a Belgian painter, born in Saint-Waast
, Nord, Hainaut, and the younger brother of Anna Boch
, a founding member of Les XX
.
Born into the 5th generation of the Boch family, a wealthy dynasty of manufacturers of fine china and ceramics, still active today under the firm of Villeroy & Boch
, Eugène Boch enrolled in the private atelier of Léon Bonnat
in Paris, in 1879. Since 1882, when Bonnat closed his atelier, he studied at the atelier of Fernand Cormon
. Paintings of his were admitted to the Salon in 1882, 1883 and 1885.
In 1888, he was introduced by Dodge MacKnight
to Vincent van Gogh
.
In 1892 he settled in Monthyon
] (Seine-and-Marne), not far from Paris. In 1909, he married Anne-Marie Léonie Crusfond (?-1933), in 1910 they moved to their recently erected chalet "La Grimpette", where both lived until their death.
Like his sister Anna Boch, Eugène supported artists of talent, but without money, including Emile Bernard
, whom he met at the Atelier Cormon, and Paul Gauguin
. Or he exchanged works, as with van Gogh. Thus little by little, an important collection of contemporary art came together.
Besides his own portrait Eugène Boch owned a second van Gogh painting.
Like his sister Anna, Eugène Boch spent a large part of the funds, which they owed to their father's,
Victor Boch, business success, on promoting other artists. They bought pictures from virtually all leading contemporaries of their time, the majority of whom were also their friends.
Upon Eugène Boch's death in 1941, he bequeathed The Poet
- that is Van Gogh's title for his portrait of Eugène Boch, which Boch received from Johanna van Gogh-Bonger
in accordance to the last will of Vincent and Theo - to the Louvre
. Today the painting can be seen in the Paris Musee d'Orsay
.
Part of his collection was bought by his great nephew Luitwin von Boch with the idea to make a Museum on Anna and Eugene Boch.
Saint-Waast
Saint-Waast is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.-Heraldry:-References:*...
, Nord, Hainaut, and the younger brother of Anna Boch
Anna Boch
Anna Rosalie Boch was a Belgian painter, born in Saint-Vaast, Hainaut. Anna Boch died in Ixelles in 1936 and is interred there in the Ixelles Cemetery, Brussels, Belgium.-Artistic style:...
, a founding member of Les XX
Les XX
Les XX was a group of twenty Belgian painters, designers and sculptors, formed in 1883 by the Brussels lawyer, publisher, and entrepreneur Octave Maus. For ten years 'Les Vingt' , as they called themselves, held an annual exhibition of their art; each year twenty international artists were also...
.
Born into the 5th generation of the Boch family, a wealthy dynasty of manufacturers of fine china and ceramics, still active today under the firm of Villeroy & Boch
Villeroy & Boch
Villeroy & Boch is a large manufacturer of ceramics with the company headquarters located in Mettlach, Germany.-Company history:The company began in the tiny French village of Audun le Tiche, where François Boch set up a pottery company with his three sons in 1748. Later, the company moved to...
, Eugène Boch enrolled in the private atelier of Léon Bonnat
Léon Bonnat
Léon Joseph Florentin Bonnat was a French painter.He was born in Bayonne, but from 1846 to 1853 he lived in Madrid, where his father owned a bookshop. While tending his father's shop, he copied engravings of works by the Old Masters, developing a passion for drawing...
in Paris, in 1879. Since 1882, when Bonnat closed his atelier, he studied at the atelier of Fernand Cormon
Fernand Cormon
Fernand Cormon was a French painter born in Paris. He became a pupil of Alexandre Cabanel, Eugène Fromentin, and Jean-François Portaels, and one of the leading historical painters of modern France....
. Paintings of his were admitted to the Salon in 1882, 1883 and 1885.
In 1888, he was introduced by Dodge MacKnight
Dodge MacKnight
Dodge Macknight was an American painter. He was a friend of Vincent van Gogh, and introduced Van Gogh to the Belgian painter Eugène Boch. Macknight lived in Fontvieille at the time that Van Gogh was living in Arles.-Footnotes:...
to Vincent van Gogh
Vincent van Gogh
Vincent Willem van Gogh , and used Brabant dialect in his writing; it is therefore likely that he himself pronounced his name with a Brabant accent: , with a voiced V and palatalized G and gh. In France, where much of his work was produced, it is...
.
In 1892 he settled in Monthyon
Monthyon
Monthyon is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France. Lie de residence de Eugene Boch,ami de Vincent van Gogh paint dans le portrait "le peintre aux etoiles". Eugene Boch habita La Villa La Grimpette....
] (Seine-and-Marne), not far from Paris. In 1909, he married Anne-Marie Léonie Crusfond (?-1933), in 1910 they moved to their recently erected chalet "La Grimpette", where both lived until their death.
Like his sister Anna Boch, Eugène supported artists of talent, but without money, including Emile Bernard
Émile Bernard
Émile Henri Bernard is known as a Post-Impressionist painter who had artistic friendships with Van Gogh, Gauguin and Eugene Boch, and at a later time, Cézanne. Most of his notable work was accomplished at a young age, in the years 1886 through 1897. He is also associated with Cloisonnism and...
, whom he met at the Atelier Cormon, and Paul Gauguin
Paul Gauguin
Eugène Henri Paul Gauguin was a leading French Post-Impressionist artist. He was an important figure in the Symbolist movement as a painter, sculptor, print-maker, ceramist, and writer...
. Or he exchanged works, as with van Gogh. Thus little by little, an important collection of contemporary art came together.
Besides his own portrait Eugène Boch owned a second van Gogh painting.
Like his sister Anna, Eugène Boch spent a large part of the funds, which they owed to their father's,
Victor Boch, business success, on promoting other artists. They bought pictures from virtually all leading contemporaries of their time, the majority of whom were also their friends.
Upon Eugène Boch's death in 1941, he bequeathed The Poet
Portrait of Eugene Boch
Portraits painted by Vincent van Gogh throughout his career from 1881 through 1890.-Portraits of Vincent van Gogh by other artists:Emile Bernard described Van Gogh as having "a sharp glace and a mouth incisively set as if to speak." Aside from consistent intensity to portraits of Van Gogh, his...
- that is Van Gogh's title for his portrait of Eugène Boch, which Boch received from Johanna van Gogh-Bonger
Johanna van Gogh-Bonger
Johanna Gezina van Gogh-Bonger was the wife of Theo van Gogh, art dealer, and the sister-in-law of the painter Vincent van Gogh. After the death of Vincent and her husband she worked assiduously on editing the brothers' correspondence, producing the first volume in Dutch in 1914...
in accordance to the last will of Vincent and Theo - to the Louvre
Louvre
The Musée du Louvre – in English, the Louvre Museum or simply the Louvre – is one of the world's largest museums, the most visited art museum in the world and a historic monument. A central landmark of Paris, it is located on the Right Bank of the Seine in the 1st arrondissement...
. Today the painting can be seen in the Paris Musee d'Orsay
Musée d'Orsay
The Musée d'Orsay is a museum in Paris, France, on the left bank of the Seine. It is housed in the former Gare d'Orsay, an impressive Beaux-Arts railway station built between 1898 and 1900. The museum holds mainly French art dating from 1848 to 1915, including paintings, sculptures, furniture,...
.
Part of his collection was bought by his great nephew Luitwin von Boch with the idea to make a Museum on Anna and Eugene Boch.