Manuel Robbe (1872-1936), French, Aquatint. Signed in lower right. Number in lower left. Woman in long dress and jacket. Standing in front of mirror. Adjusting hat or fixing her hair. Manuel Robbe (1872-1936) was a brilliant printmaker who mastered the aquatint technique. He was born in Paris, shortly after the Franco-Prussian War. He soon began studies at the Lycees Condorcet with Louis Legrand. In the early 1890’s Robbe enrolled at the Academie Julian and later, at the prestigious Ecole des Beaux- Arts. Here, he learned the intricacies of etching and aquatint from master etcher Eugene Delatre. He exhibited regularly at the Salons of Societe des Artistes Francais and in 1900, he received a bronze medal at the World’s Fair for his contribution to printmaking. Robbe was influenced by the most of the important nineteenth century artists such as Degas, Renoir, Legrand, Chahine and Lautrec. Robbe delighted in depicting women. He was known to show the individuality of his female subjects, while celebrating their beauty. His prints chronicled the emerging status of women as decision-makers and connoisseurs, as well as having the ability to judge and appreciate art. He also was able to show their sensuality, sociability, and the ability of the modern women to elegantly enjoy the simple pleasures in life. Robbe’s innovative techniques, along with his sense of color harmony and his choice of subjects: stylish women, children in parks and promenades in the streets, helped lift the artistic level of color printmaking to unprecedented heights. Overall Size: 31 1/4 x 25 1/4 in. Sight Size: 19 7/8 x 13 1/2 in. #1797 #18