Robert Antoine Pinchon

Born into a literary environment, his father was a close friend of Maupassant and Flaubert. In 1877, Zola and Turgenev attended a play co-written by his father, exposing him to a sophisticated artistic circle from childhood.¹

He began oil painting at 12 and held his first exhibition at 14. In 1900, he displayed work in a storefront on a main street in Rouen, attracting critical attention and demonstrating his early talent as a prodigy.¹

Claude Monet praised young Pinchon's talent as 'a surprising touch in the service of a surprising eye.' This endorsement led Impressionist collector François Depeaux to become his dedicated patron.¹

At high school in Rouen, he was classmates with Marcel Duchamp and Pierre Dumont. In 1903, Duchamp painted a portrait of Pinchon, and they maintained a lifelong friendship, influencing each other's artistic journeys.¹

Between 1905 and 1907, he adopted a Fauve style. When exhibiting at the 1905 Salon d'Automne, his work was characterized by thick impasto and a powerful, pure palette of vibrant colors.¹

In 1906, he joined the 39th Infantry Regiment for military service. This occurred just after his friend Marcel Duchamp finished his service in the same regiment, fulfilling his duties alongside his artistic pursuits.¹

Together with Pierre Dumont, he founded the independent artist collective 'Group XXX' and the 'Société Normande de Peinture Moderne.' These groups included Matisse and Braque, contributing to the spread of modern art.¹