Achille Ouvré is a French illustrator and engraver , born on July 26, 1872 in Paris XV e 1 and died on March 26, 1951 in Paris , mainly known for having illustrated numerous books at the beginning of the 20th century . Biography This artist, with a very broad culture and an independent nature, had the merit of training himself: he acquired his knowledge of drawing and composition by working without a master, in the academies of Montparnasse. Courteous and affable, he made excellent friends among the artists, musicians and writers of his generation, as evidenced by the drawn and engraved portraits that were seen at the exhibitions of the Salon d’Automne , where he was president of the engraving section for 25 years. Achille Ouvré was named Knight of the Legion of Honor onJanuary 14, 1925, then promoted to Officer onJanuary 24, 1950. His work is considerable and diverse: a portraitist influenced by Hans Holbein and Japanese painters, he left numerous drawings whose incisive and voluntary line reveals the character and the very soul of the model; Maurice Ravel , Sarah Bernhardt , Maurice Barrès , Paul Valéry , Jules Romains and Paul Bourget posed in front of him. Achille Ouvré was also a very talented illustrator: he drew and engraved with striking relief, in an important work, the circles of the Paris Stock Exchange; he left a considerable number of illustrated books, the most interesting of which are probably “DE PROFUNDIS”, a work on madmen but also an album on “THE HINDUENGLISH CAMP”.March 19, 1934, aged 62, he engraved his first postage stamp on steel for France, the first small format printed in intaglio with the effigy of Joseph Marie Jacquard in honour of the inventor of the loom. His activity in this field was fruitful, excellent in portraiture, he engraved around forty works, including for airmail, including portraits with the effigies of Jacques Cartier, Victor Hugo, Richelieu, Jacques Callot, Jaurès, Berlioz, Clément Ader, Cézanne, Guynemer, Blanqui, Watteau, Chabrier, Foch, Hoche, Turgot, Henri IV, Gerson, La Fontaine… His last work in this field, just before his death, was the engraving of a postage stamp with the effigy of Talleyrand. Achille Ouvré died in 1951 at his last home, 1 rue Cassini/34 rue du faubourg-Saint-Jacques, where a plaque affixed to the façade perpetuates his memory 3 . He is buried in Nice, at the Cimetière de l’Est, where his wife also rests. Illustrated books Crapotte by Henri Duvernois , collection The Book of Tomorrow , Arthème Fayard, Paris, undated, 23 original woodcuts. Bibliography Claude Jamet , “ Small is beautiful ”, Timbroscopie , no . 92,June 1992, p. 79-82 The article studies the genesis of the issue of the first three small-format stamps printed in intaglio, thanks to the work of Achille Ouvré. Maurice Ravel , The Complete Works: Correspondence (1895-1937), writings and interviews: edition established, presented and annotated by Manuel Cornejo , Paris, Le Passeur Éditeur,2018, 1769 p. ( ISBN 978-2-36890-577-7 and 2-36890-577-4 , BNF 45607052 ) Contains 1 correspondence from Maurice Ravel to Achille Ouvré dated June 10, 1910 p. 238 concerning their mutual friend William Molard, composer, and the condemned man Jean-Jacques Liabeuf ) Gallery Works of Achille Ouvré Portrait of Alphonse de Lamartine. Stamp bearing the image of Joseph Marie Jacquard. Stamp bearing the image of Joseph Marie Jacquard . Portrait of Maurice Ravel. List of French stamps created by Achille Ouvré [ archive ] decorative icon Art History Portal decorative icon Philately Portal Categories  :20th century French illustrator Stamp designer Born in the 15th arrondissement of Paris Born in July 1872 Died in March 1951 Died at 78[+] List of French stamps created by Achille Ouvré [ archive ] decorative icon Art History Portal decorative icon Philately Portal Categories  :20th century French illustrator Stamp designer Born in the 15th arrondissement of Paris Born in July 1872 Died in March 1951 Died at 78[+]