Manuel Robbe (1872-1936) French, Signed Reclining Nude Etching on Paper. The tastefully coquettish figure is lying on a bed barely covered by a blanket, twisting her back to look at the artist. Signed bottom right. 

Condition: Image is in good shape. Frame shows significant damage on all edges, with some broken parts saved in a baggie. Commensurate with age. 

Overall Size: 33 x 26 1/4 in. 

Sight Size: 10 1/2 x 15 in. 

Frame Thickness: 1 1/2 in. 

Emmanuel Robbe (known professionally as Manuel Robbe) was born on December 16th, 1872 in Paris. He attended the Lycée Condorcet, where he became friends with Gaston de Pawlowski, and then transferred to the Lycée Louis-le-Grand, one of the best grammar schools in France. He then became a pupil at the Académie Julian before transferring to the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris in order to pursue etching. There he learned the finer points of aquatint from the master etcher Eugène Delâtre. He exhibited regularly at the salons of the Société des Artistes Français and was awarded a bronze medal at the 1900 World Exhibition for his work. Robbe quickly became a successful etcher, specializing in the aquatint technique. He exhibited regularly at the salons of the Société des Artistes Français, and the Parisian dealers Edmond Sagot, Georges Petit, and Georges Pierrefort published and distributed his work. His drawings were published in Cocorico (1898-1900) and Le Frou-frou (1901-1902). Over the course of his artistic career, Manuel Robbe created hundreds of aquatint etchings, drypoint etchings, and advertising posters, as well as works in other techniques including oil paintings, watercolors, and pastels. He was also an avid sportsman, serving as captain of the Beaux-Arts fencing team at the inter-professional championships in Paris in 1912. In World War I he enlisted in the French Air Force and was awarded the Croix de guerre for his service, and several prints after this period depicted German and French military aircraft. In his later years Robbe developed a love of travelling and spent many summers in Brittany, which he captured in many prints and drawings. He suffered from an incurable illness that eventually led to his death on July 5th, 1936 in the 18th arrondissement of Paris, not far from where he was born. 

Image is in good shape. Frame shows significant damage on all edges, with some broken parts saved in a baggie. Commensurate with age.