Nam (Jacques Lehmann) (1891-1974)


Jacques Lehmann, who exhibited under the name “Nam,” was born in Paris. At the age of nineteen, he enrolled in the École des Beaux-Arts where he studied under Gérôme and where, encouraged by this master, he first began to draw cats and other animals.  

Nam exhibited in a number of Parisian Salon exhibitions, including Salon d’Automne, Salon des Artistes Animalier Français, Salon des Dessinateurs Humoristes, Salon des Artistes Décorateurs, Salon Nationale des Beaux-Arts, and Salon des Indépendants. His work was also exhibited in London at The Fine Art Society and Ferrers Gallery, and in Belgium at the Galerie des Artistes Français. From 1919 to 1964 Nam exhibited in many prominent Parisian galleries, including Galerie Reitlinger, Galerie Legoupy, Galerie Georges Petit, Galerie René Keller, Galerie Charpentier, Galerie Cambacérès, and elsewhere. 

In 1912 he was named an Officer of the Académie des Beaux-Arts in Paris and in 1926 he was made a Chevalier de la Légion d’honneur. In 1925 he was awarded a gold medal at the Exposition des Arts Décoratifs, the landmark exhibition that defined and gave its name to the Art Deco movement. In 1963 Nam was awarded a Silver Medal of the City of Paris and in 1970 he won the distinguished Prix Grammont. 

Nam is perhaps best remembered from his ongoing collaboration with the celebrated writer Colette. In 1912 he did the illustrations for her Sept Dialogues de Bêtes (Seven Dialogues with Animals). That marked the beginning of a long friendship with Colette. In 1935 he published the album Chats (Cats) with five texts by Colette. She has been quoted as saying: “Il n’y a pas de chats plus chats que les chats de Nam.” (There are no cats that are more cats than the cats of Nam.) 

The French Government and the City of Paris purchased a number of Nam’s works and his large fresco entitled L’Histoire naturelle (Natural History) was commissioned by the city of Mantes, west of Paris.


Nam (Jacques Lehmann)  1891-1974
A Cat Sitting in a Window
India ink and charcoal drawing
Signed with a monogram, upper left
Sheet size: 7 5/8 X 6 3/8 inches
Frame size: 12 1/2 X 11 1/4 inches
In a hand-crafted frame from Les Cadres Gault, Paris
FC10007 Price on Request

  Beach Scene

Nam (Jacques Lehmann)  1891-1974
A Sleeping Cat
Graphite drawing
Signed, lower right:
Sheet size: 5 1/2 X 7 3/4 inches
Frame size: Frame size: 11 5/8 X 13 7/8 inches
In a hand-crafted frame from Les Cadres Gault, Paris
FC10008 SOLD

 

Nam (Jacques Lehmann)  1891-1974
A Sitting Cat
Charcoal drawing
Sheet size: 6 1/4 X 4 1/2 inches
Frame size: 12 1/2 X 10 5/8 inches
In a hand-crafted frame from Les Cadres Gault, Paris
FC10009 Price on Request

  Beach Scene

Nam (Jacques Lehmann)  1891-1974
A Cat Reclining, Facing Left
Charcoal drawing
Sheet size: 4 1/8 X 5 5/16 inches
Frame size: 7 3/4 X 9 9/16 inches
In a hand-crafted frame from Les Cadres Gault, Paris
FC10010 Price on Request

 

Nam (Jacques Lehmann)  1891-1974
A Sitting White Cat
Charcoal drawing
Sheet size: 5 7/16 X 5 1/16 inches
Frame size: 9 1/4 X 8 3/4 inches
In a hand-crafted frame from Les Cadres Gault, Paris
FC10011 Price on Request

  Beach Scene

Nam (Jacques Lehmann)  1891-1974
A Sitting Cat, Facing Away
India ink drawing
Sheet size: 5 1/4 X 4 3/8 inches
Frame size: 9 X 8 1/8 inches
In a hand-crafted frame from Les Cadres Gault, Paris
FC10012 Price on Request

 

Nam (Jacques Lehmann)  1891-1974
A Crouching Cat, Peering Down
Charcoal drawing
Sheet size: 3 1/2 X 4 7/8 inches
Frame size: 7 1/4 X 8 1/2 inches
In a hand-crafted frame from Les Cadres Gault, Paris
FC10013 Price on Request

  Beach Scene

Nam (Jacques Lehmann)  1891-1974
A Crouching Cat, Facing Left
Charcoal draqwing
Signed, upper right: "Jacques Nam"
Sheet size: 3 1/16 X 4 inches
Frame size: 6 7/8 X 6 3/4 inches
In a hand-crafted frame from Les Cadres Gault, Paris
FC10014 Price on Request

 

Nam (Jacques Lehmann)  1891-1974
A Sleeping Cat
Charcoal drawing
Sheet size: 3 1/2 X 2 1/2 inches
Frame size: 7 1/16 X 8 3/16 inches
In a hand-crafted frame from Les Cadres Gault, Paris
FC10015 Price on Request

  Beach Scene

Nam (Jacques Lehmann)  1891-1974
A Crouching Cat
Pen and ink drawing
Sheet size: 2 1/2 X 3 1/2 inches
Frame size: 6 X 7 1/4 inches
In a hand-crafted frame from Les Cadres Gault, Paris
FC10016 Price on Request

 

Nam (Jacques Lehmann)  1891-1974
A Sitting Cat, Facing Left
Charcoal drawing
Sheet size: 4 1/4 X 2 3/4 inches
Frame size: 8 X 6 7/16 inches
In a hand-crafted frame from Les Cadres Gault, Paris
FC10018 Price on Request

  Beach Scene

Nam (Jacques Lehmann)  1891-1974
A Seated Cat in Profile, Facing Right
Black ink, blue ink, and charcoal drawing
Sheet size: 4 11/16 X 3 1/4 inches
Frame size: 8 7/16 X 7 inches
In a hand-crafted frame from Les Cadres Gault, Paris
FC10019 Price on Request

 

Nam (Jacques Lehmann)  1891-1974
A Seated Cat in Profile, Facing Left
Black ink drawing
Sheet size: 4 3/8 X 3 inches
Frame size: 8 1/8 X 6 5/8 inches
In a hand-crafted frame from Les Cadres Gault, Paris
FC10020 Price on Request

  Beach Scene

Nam (Jacques Lehmann)  1891-1974
A Seated Cat, Facing Right
Pen & gray ink and gray ink wash
Sheet size: 4 1/2 X 2 inches
Frame size: 8 X 5 3/4 inches
In a hand-crafted frame from Les Cadres Gault, Paris
FC10021 SOLD

 

Nam (Jacques Lehmann)  1891-1974
A Seated Cat
Charcoal drawing
Sheet size: 4 X 2 11/16 inches
Frame size: 7 3/4 X 6 3/8 inches
In a hand-crafted frame from Les Cadres Gault, Paris
FC10022 Price on Request

  Beach Scene

Nam (Jacques Lehmann)  1891-1974
A Seated Cat
Pen and blue ink
Sheet size: 2 7/8 X 2 3/8 inches
Frame size: 6 5/8 X 6 inches
In a hand-crafted frame from Les Cadres Gault, Paris
FC10023 Price on Request

 
Home Featured Artists Featured Works Antiques Shows