Artists out of copyright in 2011

Paul Klee (1879-1940)

"A drawing is simply a line going for a walk."

One of the most inventive artists of the 20th century. Paul Klee was born in Switzerland to a musical family and became associated with the Blaue Reiter group. Artists in the group believed that they had a responsibility to "heal the gaping wound that separates man from his environment". Klee's individual style was influenced by movements in art that included expressionism, cubism, and surrealism. He  became a master of colour theory, writing extensively about it. After the Armistice Klee taught at the Bauhaus with Kandinsky. A large number of his paintings on display in Germany were confiscated by the Nazis as degenerate. Klee's works reflect his dry humour, a childlike perspective as well as his musicality.

Edouard Vuillard (1868-1940)

"I do not belong to any school, I simply want to do something that is personal to myself."

Edouard Vuillard was born in Cuiseax at the foot of the Jura Mountains but  lived most of his artistic life in Paris and became associated with the Nabis, a group of art students inspired by the synthetism of Gauguin. In his paintings and decorative pieces Vuillard depicted mostly interiors, streets and gardens. Marked by a gentle humour, they are executed in the delicate range of soft, blurred colors characteristic of his art. Living with his mother, a dressmaker, until the age of sixty, Vuillard was very familiar with interior and domestic spaces. Much of his art reflected this influence, largely decorative and often depicting very intricate patterns.

Georges Leonnec (1881-1940) 

Georges Leonnec was the son of the French illustrator and navy officer Paul Léonnec and worked as an artist/illustrator for  magazines including Le Sourire and La Vie Parisienne, from 1899. 

Many of Leonnec's illustrations feature the female form in various states of undress and could be described as cheeky Art Deco erotica! 

They have a quirky, risque charm, a hint of glamour and should appeal to vintage aficionados everywhere.

More Out of Copyright Artists in 2011

Click the link above and login to your account to access a lightbox of over 100 high resolution artworks available through Bridgeman next year without the hassle and extra cost of copyright clearance.