Fernand Piet, grandson of the painter and lithographer Charles Mozin, was born in Paris in 1869. He briefly attended the Lycée Chaptal before joining, in 1885, Fernand Cormon’s studio, a key artistic hub for cloisonnism that counted Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Émile Bernard, Louis Anquetin, and Vincent Van Gogh amongst its members. Piet later trained under Eugène Carrière and Alfred Philippe Roll before enrolling at the École des Beaux-Arts and the Académie de la Grande Chaumière, where he became close friends with Jean-Louis Forain.
Starting in 1893, Piet exhibited at various salons, including the Société Nationale des Beaux Arts and the Salon d’Automne. Primarily known as an etcher, he significantly contributed to L'Estampe Moderne (1897–1899), for which he designed the lithograph Un Marché en Zeeland in 1898. A skilled draughtsman, he shared an interest in Montmartre’s breweries and cabarets with artists like Bernand, Lautrec, and Anquetin, who influenced his work. His œuvre also includes nudes and landscapes of Brittany and Provence, but his most accomplished compositions depict the Bal Tabarin, dancers at the Moulin de la Galette, and the nightlife around Place Blanche.
Our ensemble of 21 drawings vividly portrays a night at the Moulin Rouge and its diverse clientele, namely hostesses, dancers, and patrons. Piet’s keen eye captures the lively atmosphere in a newspaper-like style, one scene featuring a humorous caption: “Come on, my […] it suits you.” Piet’s carefully constructed compositions offer a dynamic and accurate snapshot of the Moulin Rouge, whose gas lamps, columns, and garden tables are easily identifiable. Our harmonious collection of drawings is a unique and remarkably vibrant testament to life at one of the most famous French institutions during the Belle Époque.