Pierre-Laurent Brenot (8 July 1913 – 8 May 1998), was a French painter who also had a great activity in fashion and advertising. He is also known as the father of the "French pin-up".

Pierre-Laurent Brenot
Portrait of Pierre-Laurent
Born
Raymond (Pierre-Laurent) Brenot

(1913-07-08)8 July 1913
Paris
Died8 May 1998(1998-05-08) (aged 84)
NationalityFrench
EducationÉcole Estienne
Known forAdvertising, painting, fashion
AwardsGold Medal at the Salon des Artistes Français (1966) – Honour Medal from Moscow City (1986)

Biography

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Raymond (Pierre-Laurent) Brenot was born on 8 July 1913 at the 44th of rue de Vanves, in the 14th district of Paris.

In 1928, he entered the Ecole Estienne (School of the Book), which he attended for three years.

In 1932, he studied with the French designer Fernand Hertenberger. Brenot's power of observation and accuracy of pen stroke are very soon noticed.

During the "Years of Fashion" (from 1936 to 1950), thanks to his daring and his talent, he was hired by Mr. Chatard, a great dressmaker for men and women, within the store "Fashionable" based at the 16th of the Boulevard Montmartre. Brenot then created a line of men's suits. Moving forward, he made many fashion drawings for other great designers and milliners (Christian Dior, Jacques Fath, Cristóbal Balenciaga, Nina Ricci, Jeanne Lafaurie, Charles Montaigne ...), for Lanvin and Rochas brands as well as for some milliners (Maude et Mano, Legroux, Paulette).

He soon began to draw portraits, including those of Arletty, Francoise Fabian, Boris Vian and Jean-Claude Brialy.

From 1944 onwards, he started a career as a poster artist and illustrator. However, with the rise of photography in the sixties, this activity shrank badly. Pierre-Laurent Brenot then moved backward to his original painter vocation.

Pierre-Laurent Brenot died on 8 May 1998, in his estate in Loches.

Career as a poster artist

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This important period took shape around different themes.[1]

Show posters

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From 1944 onwards, he produced numerous posters advertising cabaret and revue shows:

Title
Le Lido
La Comédie Caumartin
Bobino
Le Paradis Latin
Le Moulin Rouge
ParisLine for Line Renaud

Film posters

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Around the 1950s, he was asked to design film posters, including :

Title Year of Release Director Main Actors
Devil's Daughter

(Fille du Diable)

1946 Henri Decoin Pierre Fresnay

Fernand Ledoux

The Beach

(La Spraggia/La Pensionnaire)

1954 Alberto Lattuada Martine Carol
Frou-Frou 1955 Augusto Genina Dany Robin

Philippe Lemaire

The Bride Is Much Too Beautiful

(La mariée est trop belle)

1956 Pierre Gaspard-Huit Brigitte Bardot
Love Is at Stake

(L’amour est en jeu/Ma Femme, mon gosse et moi)

1957 Marc Allégret Annie Girardot

Robert Lamoureux

Les lavandières du Portugal 1957 Pierre Gaspard-Huit Anne Vernon

Jean-Claude Pascal

Casino de Paris 1957 André Hunebelle Caterina Valente

Gilbert Bécaud

Dishonorable Discharge

(Ces dames préfèrent le mambo)

1958 Bernard Borderie Pascale Robert

Eddie Constantine

Lino Ventura

Vive les vacances 1958 Jean-Marc Thibault Michèle Girardon

Jacqueline Maillan

Roger Pierre

Venice, the Moon and You

(Venezia, la luna e tu/Venise, la lune et toi)

1958 Dino Rissi Marisa Allasio

Nino Manfredi

Julie the Redhead

(Julie la Rousse)

1958 Claude Boissol Pascale Petit

Daniel Gélin

Les misérables 1958 Jean-Paul Le Chanois Danièle Delorme

Jean Gabin

Bernard Blier

School for Coquettes

(L’école des cocottes)

1958 Jacqueline Audry Odette Laure

Jean-Claude Brialy

Darry Cowl

La fille de Hambourg 1958 Yves Allégret Daniel Gélin

Hildegarde Kneff

The Female

(La femme et le pantin)

1959 Julien Duvivier Brigitte Bardot

António Vilar

Marie des iles 1959 Georges Combret Belinda Lee

Magali Noël

La fièvre monte à El Pao 1959 Luis Buñuel Maria Félix

Gérard Philipe

Picnic on the Grass

(Le déjeuner sur l’herbe)

1959 Jean Renoir Catherine Rouvel

Fernand Sardou

Paul Meurisse

Ravissante 1960 Robert Lamoureux Sylva Koscina

Philippe Noiret

Lettere di una novizia

(La novice)

1960 Alberto Lattuada Pascale Petit

Jean-Paul Belmondo

The Opportunists (1960 film)

(La Rabouilleuse/Les Arrivistes)

1960 Louis Daquin Madeleine Robinson

Jean-Claude Pascal

The High Life

(La grande vie)

1960 Julien Duvivier Giuletta Masina

Hannes Messemer

Les bonnes femmes 1960 Claude Chabrol Bernadette Lafont

Stéphane Audran

Les années folles 1960 Miréa  Alexandresco

Henri Torrent

Napoléon II l’Aiglon 1961 Claude Boissol Danièle Gaubert

Georges Marchal

Jean-Pierre Cassel

La bellezza di Ippolita

(La beauté d’Hippolyte)

1962 Giancarlo Zagni Gina Lollobridgida
Sodom and Gomorrah (1962 film)

(Sodome et Gomorrhe)

1962 Robert Aldrich Anouk Aimée

Stewart Granger

Darling Caroline

(Caroline Chérie)

1968 Denys De La Patellière Bernard Blier

Jean-Claude Brialy

Charles Aznavour

Career as an illustrator

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Advertising graphics

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The 1950s also saw the appearance of his first advertising posters for well-known brands, including :

  • Chocolat Poulain ;
  • Lingerie Chantelle ;
  • Lingerie Lou ;
  • Parfum Soir de Paris de Bourjois ;
  • Lustucru ;
  • Vittel.

Fashion Illustrations

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He has also been commissioned by a number of fashion magazines:

  • Bonne Soirée ;
  • Formes et Couleurs ;
  • France-Élite ;
  • Images de France ;
  • Modes et travaux ;
  • Plaire ;
  • Prestige de Paris ;
  • La Vie Heureuse ;
  • Vogue ;
  • Votre Beauté.

The creation of the French Pin-Up

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During this period, he was also responsible for the design of the French pin-up in various publications such as :

  • Paris-Flirt ;
  • Paris-Hollywood ;
  • Le Rire ;
  • Stars et Vedettes ;
  • La Vie Parisienne.

Career as a painter

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Pierre-Laurent Brenot has always devoted a significant part of his time to painting. He devoted himself fully to it from the 1960s onwards.

He has painted the portraits of many artists:[2]

References

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  1. ^ Leiieur, Anne-Claude (1996). Brenot Affichiste. Paris: Agence Culturelle de Paris. ISBN 2-906-869-87-2.
  2. ^ Brenot, Martine (2001). Brenot Passionément. Editions du Rocher. ISBN 2-268-03984-6.