Pierre-Laurent Brenot

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".

Biography

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

This important period took shape around different themes.

Show posters

From 1944 onwards, he produced numerous posters advertising cabaret and revue shows: TitleLe Lido La Comédie Caumartin Bobino Le Paradis Latin Le Moulin Rouge ParisLine for Line Renaud

Film posters

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

TitleYear of ReleaseDirectorMain ActorsDevil's Daughter

(Fille du Diable)1946Henri DecoinPierre Fresnay

Fernand LedouxThe Beach

Philippe LemaireThe Bride Is Much Too Beautiful

(La mariée est trop belle)1956Pierre Gaspard-HuitBrigitte BardotLove Is at Stake

(L’amour est en jeu/Ma Femme, mon gosse et moi)1957Marc AllégretAnnie Girardot

Gilbert BécaudDishonorable Discharge

(Ces dames préfèrent le mambo)1958Bernard BorderiePascale Robert

Eddie Constantine

Jacqueline Maillan

Roger PierreVenice, the Moon and You

(Venezia, la luna e tu/Venise, la lune et toi)1958Dino RissiMarisa Allasio

Nino ManfrediJulie the Redhead

(Julie la Rousse)1958Claude BoissolPascale Petit

Jean Gabin

Bernard BlierSchool for Coquettes

(L’école des cocottes)1958Jacqueline AudryOdette Laure

Jean-Claude Brialy

Hildegarde KneffThe Female

(La femme et le pantin)1959Julien DuvivierBrigitte Bardot

Gérard PhilipePicnic on the Grass (Le déjeuner sur l’herbe)1959Jean RenoirCatherine Rouvel

Fernand Sardou

Philippe NoiretLettere di una novizia

(La novice)1960Alberto LattuadaPascale Petit

Jean-Paul BelmondoThe Opportunists (1960 film)

(La Rabouilleuse/Les Arrivistes)1960Louis DaquinMadeleine Robinson

Jean-Claude PascalThe High Life

(La grande vie)1960Julien DuvivierGiuletta Masina

Georges Marchal

Jean-Pierre CasselLa bellezza di Ippolita

(La beauté d’Hippolyte)1962Giancarlo ZagniGina LollobridgidaSodom and Gomorrah (1962 film)

(Sodome et Gomorrhe)1962Robert AldrichAnouk Aimée

Stewart GrangerDarling Caroline

(Caroline Chérie)1968Denys De La PatellièreBernard Blier

Jean-Claude Brialy

Charles Aznavour

Career as an illustrator

Advertising graphics 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

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

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

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: Arletty Brigitte Bardot Jean-Louis Barrault Julien Bertheau Pierre Bertin Jean-Claude Brialy Coccinelle Denise Clair Maurice Escande Françoise Fabian Renée Faure Serge Lifar Pascale Petit Line Renaud Madeleine Renaud José de Trévi Boris Vian Jean Weber