Fernand Mourlot

Fernand Mourlot
Born	Fernand Mourlot (1895-04-05)5 April 1895 Paris, France
Died	4 December 1988(1988-12-04) (aged 93) Paris, France
Nationality	French
Known for	Printmaking, lithography, publishing,
Awards	Legion of Honour, Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, Croix de guerre 1914–1918 (France)

Fernand Mourlot (French: [muʀlo]; 5 April 1895 – 4 December 1988), son of Jules Mourlot, was the director of Mourlot Studios and founder of Editions Mourlot.

Early life and career

Fernand Mourlot was born on 5 April 1895 in Paris, France. He was the sixth of nine children of Jules Mourlot and Clemence Gadras. In 1911, at the age of 16, he was admitted as a student to the École nationale supérieure des arts décoratifs where he studied drawing. After his studies he joined his father and older brothers in the family business, the "Imprimerie J. Mourlot". In 1914, Jules Mourlot, through the sale of Russian bonds, would begin expanding the studios, eventually opening a second location on rue St. Maur and purchasing Imprimerie Bataille on rue de Chabrol.

That year, the three eldest Mourlot brothers were also drafted into the French Army and sent to the front. Paul, the oldest brother, would be killed shortly after the start of the war. Georges and Fernand would remain in the army through 1918 and would both participate in many battles including the Battle of Verdun. While at the front, they would learn in 1917 of the death of their mother Clemence.

Upon their return, they rejoined their father in the business. Georges, the eldest, would head the operations of the studios, while Fernand would concentrate on the artistic side and business development. At the death of their father in 1921, the name of the studios was changed to "Mourlot Freres" (Mourlot Brothers), with Georges and Fernand heading the company, while the other siblings became minority holders in the business.

Contribution to lithographic posters

In 1923, Mourlot won a contract to produce an original lithographic

By 1937, Mourlot Studios had become the largest printer of artistic posters and was often hired by French and foreign museums, such as the

In the late 1930s, the studios printed several illustrations and covers for Teriade's artistic review Verve. Through this collaboration, Fernand Mourlot would develop friendships with many of the famous artists of the time such as Fernand Léger and Georges Braque. Unfortunately, all major projects were put on hold due to the events of World War II. During the German occupation, most of the artistic and commercial production of the studios slowed considerably. Fernand Mourlot spent most of his time with the fictitious administration of other printing studios (Imprimerie Union), owned by Jewish friends and colleagues, thus avoiding the forced transfer of their assets to the state, and to the production of forged identification papers.

Still, two notable events for Mourlot would take place during those years. The first was a collaboration with the gallery owner

Le Taureau was the initial lithograph made by Mourlot and Picasso.^[1]

References

• Les Hommes Abandonnés, Georges Duhamel, M. Vlaminck, 1923, Marcel Seheur Publisher.
• Souvenirs et Portraits d'Artistes, F. Mourlot, 1973, A.C. Mazo publisher.
• Gravés dans ma Mémoire, F. Mourlot, 1979, Editions Robert Laffont.
• Twentieth Century Posters, Fernand Mourlot, Wellfleet Press, Secaucus, New Jersey 1989

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Fernand Mourlot.

• History of 20th Century Lithography by Picasso, Matisse, Chagall, Braque, Leger and others in the Atelier Mourlot, French Institute Alliance Française