André Mare

Who was André Mare?

Charles André Mare, French painter and designer, and founder of the Company of French Art in 1919.

As a soldier in the French Army in World War I, Mare led the development of military camouflage, painting artillery using Cubism techniques to deceive the eye. His ink and watercolour painting Le canon de 280 camouflé shows the close interplay of abstract art and military application at that time. He authored the book Cubisme et Camouflage, 1914-1918.

Mare sketched and painted scenes based on his experiences in World War I. His works include: American Troops Marching Through the Arch of Triumph, 1930, and The Funeral of Marshall Foch, 1931.

As a painter and interior designer after the war, Mare combined his talents with the skills of architect Louis Sue and became a leader in the art deco movement of the early 20th century.