Catalogue raisonné
The main missionof the Archives Camoin is to compile the catalogue raisonné of Charles Camoin’s paintings.
A catalogue raisonné is a reference book which ‘draws up the most comprehensive list’ of an artist’s works, from their early production to their last creations. This systematic compilation identifies, dates and describes all their known works while attempting to document their provenance and exhibition history.
The catalogue is regularly updated and expanded by the Archives Camoin team. The paintings are rigorously selected for the sake of comprehensiveness and objectivity.
However, it should be noted that the inclusion of a work in a catalogue raisonné falls within the scope of freedom of expression of the authors, and that freedom of expression is protected by Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
The Project and Its Different Phases
Danièle Giraudy’s monograph, published in 1972 by ‘La Savoisienne’, drew up a first overview of Charles Camoin’s life and work. It included a non-illustrated inventory of 1500 paintings arranged chronologically.
The artist’s daughter, Ms. Anne-Marie Grammont-Camoin has pursued the project, listing all the works which have been identified since then, whether they were brought to her attention by collectors or appeared on the art market.
Since 2010, the Archives Camoin has undertaken to compile the catalogue raisonné of Charles Camoin’s paintings. The first phase of the project involved the digitisation of all the data included in the inventory and the systematic study of the artist’s archives, in particular his previously unexplored accounts book.
Thanks to the invaluable assistance of auction houses, dealers, galleries, public institutions and private collectors, the inventory and the iconographic and documentary material have gradually been updated: high-quality reproductions have helped improve our knowledge of the works. Provenance information has been clarified, thanks to all the details, labels or annotations on the stretchers of the paintings which have been passed on to us. All these elements are extremely useful to keep track of the works history. In addition, the thorough study of the archives, auction catalogues, literature and exhibitions on Camoin is an important source of knowledge for the catalogue raisonné.
To date, we have been able to inventory around 2600 paintings (landscapes, still lifes, portraits, and nudes) and their visuals, and to establish a first provenance record for each of them.
Dating the paintings can prove complex in some cases, for artworks from certain periods or representing certain subjects such as bouquets of flowers. After the First World War, and particularly after 1921, there was little stylistic change in Camoin’s work as he focused on recurring motifs and worked mostly in series, especially when painting landscapes.
Request for Inclusion in the Catalogue Raisonné
Anyone owning a painting attributed to Charles Camoin is invited to contact the Archives Camoin to have it reviewed for possible inclusion in the catalogue raisonné. Depending on the outcome of the review process, it will be decided whether or not to include the work in the catalogue raisonné.
We remain at your disposal for any questions you may have about this process. All information provided will remain strictly confidential.
Please note that the catalogue raisonné of Camoin’s drawings is not currently underway and consists solely of a digital inventory. For the time being, we aim to collect the data provided by the different owners, without using a classification system. An authentication request can nevertheless be sent to the Archives Camoin.
