Description
Amazing set of 3 early original photographs of Alexis Jean Fournier and one of Elbert Hubbard II. Fournier was a Roycroft Art Director and already a trained painter when he came to join the Roycrofters in 1903. He and Elbert Hubbard were close and his painted murals decorate the Roycroft campus today. At least one of these photographs are by Fournier’s son Paul, who was a trained photographer. The first two photos are loose and are about 4″x6″. One shows Alexis in Venice in 1901, and the other is a more formal portrait that is inscribed “To my friend Mrs Ball from your sincere Alexis Jean Fournier”. The other two photos are in Paul Fournier’s portfolio which is on nice stock with his studio address in Buffalo stamped on front. The photos in the portfolio are a little larger than 4″x6″ and tipped onto a ~ 10×12″ sheet. One laid in is stamped Sweet Studios, and I think the signature could be “Sweet”, but am not sure. The second photograph is of Elbert Hubbard II (Bert Hubbard} and is signed with Paul Fournier’s initial logo.
A wonderful collection, all scarce and in very good condition, with some offsetting of the photo of Alexis that have been laid in the portfolio for quite some time.
