Gen Paul

French, 1895-1975

Eugène Paul, known professionally as Gen Paul, was born on July 2, 1895, in Montmartre, Paris. Raised in a working-class household by a musically inclined father and an embroiderer mother, Paul showed early interest in art and began as a decorative painter before fully committing to the fine arts.

His life was dramatically altered by World War I, during which he served in the French Army and was wounded twice, ultimately losing a leg. This experience imbued his work with a sense of urgency and emotional depth. Returning to Montmartre, he became active in the artistic circles surrounding Le Bateau-Lavoir, forming friendships with artists like Juan Gris and absorbing the modernist impulses that would help shape his distinctive style.

In the 1920s, Paul emerged with a dynamic visual language. His paintings, often of Parisian street scenes, cafés, horse races, and musicians, capture the vibrant pulse of urban life. While he drew influence from van Gogh, Cézanne, and Toulouse-Lautrec, his work stood apart for its energetic movement and expressive flair. Recognition came in 1934 when he was appointed Chevalier of the Legion of Honour.

Today, Paul's work is valued for its vibrant depictions of 20th-century Paris and its embodiment of the post-Impressionist and Expressionist currents that coursed through the French art world during his lifetime.