Henry Cros : sculpteur et dessinateur

A little-known figure in nineteenth-century art, Henry Cros (1840-1907), best known for his contributions to the use of colour in sculpture, had an atypical career right from his training. In 1884, he became the first sculptor to work with glass, inventing a technique he called “pâte de verre”, and turned his attention to the decorative arts, producing works inspired by themes from Antiquity. The artist was also an excellent draughtsman. This unprecedented monographic catalogue, which brings together a remarkable group of his works on paper – the vast majority of which have never been published before – highlights this rich graphic heritage by comparing it with the painted and sculpted works held at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs and in a number of other collections, which are also unpublished.