Portret van de verzamelaar Alphonse Lotz-Brissonneau 1913

Jean Emile Laboureur made this print of the collector Alphonse Lotz-Brissonneau, using wood engraving techniques. This was a popular medium in the early 20th century, particularly among artists interested in accessible art. We can see a man examining a print, surrounded by shelves and boxes filled with artworks, suggesting the subject's profession as an art collector. Made in France, this print provides insight into the culture of art collecting and connoisseurship that was emerging at the time. Laboureur’s style is influenced by cubism but is also reminiscent of the Arts and Crafts Movement, seen in the geometric border, reflecting a desire to integrate art into everyday life. This piece not only portrays an individual, but it also speaks to the networks of art production, patronage and artistic taste in interwar France. To understand the social and institutional context of the work, it is worth exploring exhibition catalogues, biographies of collectors, and critical reviews in art journals from this period.