Goupil & Cie
Encyclopedia
Goupil & Cie was a leading art dealer
ship in 19th century France
, with headquarters in Paris
. Step by step, Goupil established a worldwide trade with reproductions of paintings and sculptures, with a network of branches in London
, Brussels
, The Hague
, Berlin
and Vienna
, as well as in New York
and Australia
. Instrumental for this expansion were the Ateliers Photographiques, a plant north of Paris, in Asnières
, which took up work in 1869. The leading figure was Adolphe Goupil (1806–1893). His daughter Marie married the French artist Jean-Léon Gérôme
.
, entered the firm, the business was expanded to paintings and drawings, finally in 1872 to industrial images, including photographic and héliographic procedures.
Vincent van Gogh fell ill and retired in 1872, but he left his money in the firm until 1878. Albert Goupil, son of Adolphe, took over his duties. When in 1878 the Van Gogh shares were finally withdrawn, René Valadon entered the business. From then the firm was completely in the hand of the Goupil family and their sons-in-law Léon Boussod and René Valadon. When in 1884 the Goupil family retired, the firm was again transformed and renamed in Boussod, Valadon & Cie, successeurs de Goupil & Cie. Three years later, May 25–27, 1887, the stock of the gallery was sold at auction, "caused by the renewal of the ancient firm Goupil & Cie".
for the summers and in Menton
for the winters. Six years later, he withdrew his shares.
As Uncle Cent had no children, his nephews were evidently supposed to follow him up in the firm: Vincent entered in 1869, Theo in 1873. When Vincent was sacked by Léon Boussod in 1876, the balance between the shareholders suffered - and so Theo
got his chance. Called to the Paris office for the time of the World Fair 1878
, he was offered to stay in Paris, and finally entrusted with the direction of the branch on Boulevard Montmartre.
In these years, Vincent took up his vocation and began to study art, based on the Cours de dessin, compiled by Charles Bargue
"in collaboration with J.-L. Gérôme
" and edited by Goupil & Cie, 1868–1873. In 1880, he asked his former director Herman Gijsbert Tersteeg, at Goupil's in The Hague, to lend him a copy, which he finally received with the support of his brother Theo.
Art dealer
An art dealer is a person or company that buys and sells works of art. Art dealers' professional associations serve to set high standards for accreditation or membership and to support art exhibitions and shows.-Role:...
ship in 19th century France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, with headquarters in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. Step by step, Goupil established a worldwide trade with reproductions of paintings and sculptures, with a network of branches in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
, Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
and Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, as well as in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Instrumental for this expansion were the Ateliers Photographiques, a plant north of Paris, in Asnières
Asnières-sur-Seine
Asnières-sur-Seine is a commune in the northwestern suburbs of Paris, France, along the river Seine. It is located from the center of Paris.-Name:...
, which took up work in 1869. The leading figure was Adolphe Goupil (1806–1893). His daughter Marie married the French artist Jean-Léon Gérôme
Jean-Léon Gérôme
Jean-Léon Gérôme was a French painter and sculptor in the style now known as Academicism. The range of his oeuvre included historical painting, Greek mythology, Orientalism, portraits and other subjects, bringing the Academic painting tradition to an artistic climax.-Life:Jean-Léon Gérôme was born...
.
Goupil & Cie
After various restructurations, Goupil & Cie was formed in 1850; the partners were Adolphe Goupil 1850–1884, Alfred Mainguet 1850–1856, Léon Goupil 1854–1855, Léon Boussod 1856–1884, Vincent van Gogh 1861–1872, Albert Goupil 1872–1884, René Valadon 1878–1884. Until 1861, the firm concentrated on buying, selling and editing prints. When Vincent van Gogh (1820–1888), uncle and godfather of the painterVincent 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...
, entered the firm, the business was expanded to paintings and drawings, finally in 1872 to industrial images, including photographic and héliographic procedures.
Vincent van Gogh fell ill and retired in 1872, but he left his money in the firm until 1878. Albert Goupil, son of Adolphe, took over his duties. When in 1878 the Van Gogh shares were finally withdrawn, René Valadon entered the business. From then the firm was completely in the hand of the Goupil family and their sons-in-law Léon Boussod and René Valadon. When in 1884 the Goupil family retired, the firm was again transformed and renamed in Boussod, Valadon & Cie, successeurs de Goupil & Cie. Three years later, May 25–27, 1887, the stock of the gallery was sold at auction, "caused by the renewal of the ancient firm Goupil & Cie".
Headquarters and branches
Manzi & Joyant
Manzi, an old friend of Degas as well as a highly skilled printer, and Maurice Joyant, originally Theo van Gogh's successor at 19 Boulevard Montmartre, joined forces, when Boussod & Valadon gave up their business.Goupil and Van Gogh
"Uncle Cent", as he was called by his nephews, moved to Paris in 1858 and took residence at 9 Rue Chaptal, which housed Goupil's head quarters, too. In 1861, he became partner of Goupil & Cie, but retired in 1872, due to his degrading health, to settle in PrincenhagePrincenhage
Princenhage is a neighbourhood in the southwest of the city Breda in the Dutch province of North Brabant.Until 1942, Princenhage was a separate municipality. The original name of the municipality was "Haage", which was changed to "Princenhage" in 1819....
for the summers and in Menton
Menton
Menton is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.Situated on the French Riviera, along the Franco-Italian border, it is nicknamed la perle de la France ....
for the winters. Six years later, he withdrew his shares.
As Uncle Cent had no children, his nephews were evidently supposed to follow him up in the firm: Vincent entered in 1869, Theo in 1873. When Vincent was sacked by Léon Boussod in 1876, the balance between the shareholders suffered - and so Theo
Theo van Gogh (art dealer)
Theodorus "Theo" van Gogh was a Dutch art dealer. He was the younger brother of Vincent van Gogh, and Theo's unfailing financial and emotional support allowed his brother to devote himself entirely to painting...
got his chance. Called to the Paris office for the time of the World Fair 1878
Exposition Universelle (1878)
The third Paris World's Fair, called an Exposition Universelle in French, was held from 1 May through to 10 November 1878. It celebrated the recovery of France after the 1870 Franco-Prussian War.-Construction:...
, he was offered to stay in Paris, and finally entrusted with the direction of the branch on Boulevard Montmartre.
In these years, Vincent took up his vocation and began to study art, based on the Cours de dessin, compiled by Charles Bargue
Charles Bargue
Charles Bargue was a French artist, a lithographer as well as a painter, who devised a drawing course.-Life and career:...
"in collaboration with J.-L. Gérôme
Jean-Léon Gérôme
Jean-Léon Gérôme was a French painter and sculptor in the style now known as Academicism. The range of his oeuvre included historical painting, Greek mythology, Orientalism, portraits and other subjects, bringing the Academic painting tradition to an artistic climax.-Life:Jean-Léon Gérôme was born...
" and edited by Goupil & Cie, 1868–1873. In 1880, he asked his former director Herman Gijsbert Tersteeg, at Goupil's in The Hague, to lend him a copy, which he finally received with the support of his brother Theo.
Further reading
- John Rewald, Theo van Gogh, Goupil, and the Impressionists, Gazette des Beaux-Arts, January & February 1973, p. 1-107
- Chris Stolwijk & Richard Thompson, ed. Theo van Gogh (1857–1891), Art dealer, collector and brother of Vincent. Waanders, Zwolle 1999. ISBN 90-400-9359-8
- Gérôme & Goupil: Art and Enterprise, Réunion de musées nationaux, Paris 2000 ISBN 2-7118-4152-9
External links
- Musée Goupil, Bordeaux
- Goupil & Cie and Boussod, Valadon & Co. Records, 1846–1919. Research Library at the Getty Research Institute. Los Angeles, California. The records contain stock books and photographic albums. Eight account books from Goupil & Cie contain over 60,000 entries which give the date of acquisition, name (and sometimes address) of seller, dimensions of work, name of purchaser, date of sale and selling price for art works bought and sold by Goupil during the years 1846–1879. Boussod, Valadon & Co. ledgers 9 through 15 continue the records through 1919. In addition, 11 large photograph albums contain photographs of paintings handled by Boussod, Valadon & Co.
- Goupil & Cie/Boussod, Valadon & Cie Stock Books. Getty Provenance Index at the Getty Research Institute. Los Angeles, California. The Getty Research Institute's Research Library preserves 15 stock books of the firm Goupil & Cie/Boussod, Valadon & Cie. The original ledgers are available for consultation in the Library's Special Collections. They are searchable in an online database and have also been digitized.