16 May 2016 Artist:
PHILIPPE LEDOUX
The abridged history below is from this website:
https://carredeparis.me/2013/07/17/philippe-ledoux-the-other-hermes-legend/
Like Hugo Grygkar, Philippe Ledoux left a huge impact on the Maison Hermès, in particular the Hermès Carré. Some of the most collected Hermes carrés, such as
Napoléon,
La Comédie Italienne and
Cosmos, are among his creations. Other highly popular Ledoux scarves are
Springs,
Grønland (Groenland),
Harnais de Cour and
La Promenade de Longchamps.
Born November 24th, 1903 in Sheffield, Great Britain to French parents, his family returned to France in 1915. His artistic talents were recognized and encouraged early by his mother, Marie Villaret, who herself was an accomplished watercolorist and illustrator of children’s books. After some time in Rome, Philippe returned to Paris to study at the Académies de Peinture et de Dessin. In his thirties, he lived in London until 1937, when he married a Frenchwoman, Madeleine Gautier and they settled in Cormeilles-en-Vexin. Ledoux enlisted as a liaison officer with the British Army and was transferred to Dunkirk, while Madeleine stayed back at their home in France. After the war, the couple lived in a village north of the French capital, where Philippe worked from home as a book illustrator and spent his free time at a local cafe sketching caricatures, a pastime he had picked up while living in London. His first illustrations were for books; both for both adults and children. Soon his style, sense of composition, accuracy and sensitivity of his drawings began to draw national attention. The Des Amis des Musée de la Marine (The Friends of French National Navy Museum) asked Ledoux to become the illustrator of their publication,
Neptunia
Philippe Ledoux was enlisted by Robert Dumas in 1947 to design for the Maison Hermès. His amazing talents as an artist and illustrator can be enjoyed in the 90 carrés that he had created during his tenure at the design house. His last two carrés,
La Marine (a Rames) and
Les Trois Mousquetaires, were finished by his nephew, Vladimir Rybaltchenko, after a motorcycle accident that took his life c. 1975. Hermès issued a number of Ledoux’s carrés after his death.
Many of Ledoux’s creations have equestrian (Monsieur Dumas was particularly fond of Ledoux’s ability to draw horses) or naval themes. His love of ships and sailing may have been inspired by his grandfather, who was an accomplished sailor and who won several trophies for the Yacht Club of France. Philippe Ledoux possessed not only a great sense of humor and a generous spirit, he was an enormously gifted artist. His art will live on, be it in a book, a magazine, or better yet, on a lovely vintage carré.
The alphabetical list of Ledoux carré designs below is from Seton’s index:
http://piwigo.hermesscarf.com/picture?/3688/category/99-philippe_ledoux
Allures du Cheval 1970
Armeria 1966
Armes de Chasse 1970
Attelage a Quatre 1820-1860 (1970)
Attelage en Arbalete 1972
Avenue des Acacias 1964
Caparacons de la France et de l'Inde 1959
Caravelle 1961
Carrick a Pompe 1953
Carrosserie 1976
Carrossier date?
Cartes et Tarots 1966
Cavalerie Francaise 1960
Chansons de France 1970
Chasse a Tir 1972
Chasses Exotiques 1980
Coachs and Saddle 1977
Cochers des Ecuries Imperiales - Grand Livree a la Francaise 1954
Comedie Francaise date?
Cortege Royal 1968
Cosmos 1966 (special edition 2003)
Ecole des Gabiers 1961
Ecole Espagnole de Vienne date?
Ecuries 1947
Entente Cordiale SI for Credit Lyonnais 1970
Equipages 1973
Fiacres 1965
Flore (ship) date?
Grands Attelages 1972
Grønland (Groenland) 1982
Harnais de Cour 1977
Haute Lice (classic) 1969
Hiver en Poste 1975
Jockey 1974
Jumping 1971
Livree Imperiale 1975
L’Hiver 1968
L’Ocean 1959
La Chasse au Renard 1963
La Comédie Italienne 1962
La Garde Consulaire date?
La Poste 1970
l'Arriere Main (1969)
Le Pont Neuf a Paris 1964
Le Promenade de Longchamps 1965
Le Tour du Monde en 80 Jours 1963
Les Amazones I 1974 (with V Rybaltchenko) [
not the Victorian horsewomen by Phillipe Dumas]
Les Figures d'Equitation 1967
Les Merveilles de la Vapeur (steam engines) 1958
Les Meutes (hunting dog packs) 1971
Les Normands 1971
Les Robes 1968
Les Trois Mousquetaires 1980 (with V Rybaltchenko)
Livree Imperiale
Louis XV 1971
Manege 1974
Marine a Rames 1978/79 (with V Rybaltchenko)
Marine en Bois 1957
Marine et Cavalerie 1967
Musee 1962
Napoleon 1963
Nefs d'Or (ships) 1971
Omnibus et Voitures de Place 1967
On Epsom Downs 1836 1970
Paris-London 1850 (1967)
Pavois 1964
Phaeton 1958
Presentation des Chevaux 1970
Promenades de Paris 1962
Proues (prows) 1973
Reprise 1970
Scotland 1963
Sesame (keyholes) 1969
Silhouettes Navales 1938
Sportsmen 1973
Springs 1974
The Royal and Ancient Game of Golf 1968 [
not Le Noble et Tres Ancien Jeu du Golf by Hugo Grygkar]
Tournois et Carrousels (knights) 1960
Vaisseaux de Haut-Bord (ships) date?
Vaisseaux et Fregates (ships) 1965
Venise 1970
Vielle Marine 1970
Wedgwood 1974
As always, I'm happy to have additions, corrections, and comments!
Thank you, that is so sweet. BF took the pic with his 'new' lens
