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Endpoint: Léo Fontan (Illustrator)



created on: 24/07/2026
by: Lo55o (14581)
 
 

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General info :
Léon Victor Fontan known as Léo Fontan (born September 23, 1884i n Donchery, France - died on June 26, 1965 in Annecy, France (aged 80)) was a French painter, illustrator and decorator.

Léo Fontan grew up in Touraine where his father was stationed, and he lived with his parents at 10 rue du Rocher in Tours. He attended the École supérieure des beaux-arts de Tours from 1900 to 1903, in the studio of Félix Laurent and Courault, then was admitted to the École des beaux-arts de Paris in April 1903 in the studios of Fernand Cormon in 1913, Léon Bonnat, Luc-Olivier Merson in 1906 and 1907. He was among the ten finalists for the Grand Prix de Rome in 1909 , but received no points.

His military record gives a physical description of him in 1904: "Blonde with blue eyes, round chin, oval face, height 1.67 meters" and suffering from chronic bronchitis which he inherited from his mother.

Pierre Lafitte hired him to illustrate the front cover of the small books in the Arsène Lupin series. Then he joined Antonin Reschal 's Librairie de l'Estampe where he replaced Raphael Kirchner, or even " imitated him, by drawing little women". He was noticed by Francis Carco.

He was commissioned to illustrate the front covers of the Arsène Lupin series of small books.

Léo Fontan contributed to numerous newspapers such as La Vie Parisienne, Le Sourire, Fantasio and designed some posters and sets for the Folies Bergère.
He created furniture, executed gilding, and participated in the 1925 Exposition des Arts Décoratifs and in the decoration of Messageries Maritimes ocean liners, including the Aramis in 1931 in the company of Mathurin Méheut and Yvonne Jean-Haffen.

During the Second World War, he devoted himself to portraits, still lifes and landscapes, dividing his time between Paris, Touraine and the French Riviera. An officer of the Legion of Honour, he received some official commissions for what is now the National Institute of Industrial Property, the officers' mess in Paris and the city of Paris.

He was a member of the Société des Artistes Français from 1911 to 1946. He painted until his last day despite failing eyesight. He died getting off the train in Annecy on June 26, 1965.

He resided in Paris from 1904 to 1910 at No. 6 rue de Verneuil, then from 1910 to 1913 at No. 6 rue du Cherche-Midi , from 1913 to 1922 at No. 33 rue de Varennes and in 1920 at No. 10 rue de Saint-Senoch , then from 1920 to 1939 at No. 7 rue Beethoven.
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Item number : 73069

Submitted by : Lo55o (14581)
on : 24/07/2026
Refined by : Lo55o (14581)
Last updated on: 24/07/2026