The Quiet Discipline of a French Engraver

Born in Menton, France, Édouard Righetti lived a life defined by the tactile reality of his materials. His early training took him from the École des Beaux-Arts in Montpellier to the School of Decorative Arts in Nice, eventually leading him to the studio of Edouard Goerg in Paris. It was here that he mastered the technical rigors of copper, etching, and drypoint. His hands were accustomed to the resistance of metal and the precision required for aquatint, a discipline that demanded both patience and a steady eye. He was a man of many mediums, moving between the delicate lines of an engraver and the broader strokes of a painter.

His life was not always one of ease. During the leaner years, the struggle to make a living was a constant companion. There are stories of him rolling up his own drawings into tight bundles to burn for warmth during the winter months. This hardship did not diminish his output; instead, it seemed to sharpen his focus. He was known to scrape away layers of paint from his canvases to begin new compositions, a process of constant revision and rebirth that mirrored the resilience of his own spirit.

A Life of Movement and Connection

Righetti’s world was shaped by the places he inhabited and the people who shared his devotion to art. His marriage to Andrée Saunier, a painter herself, created a household where creativity was the primary language. Their three daughters followed in their footsteps, each finding their own way within the fine arts. His travels expanded his visual vocabulary, taking him from the rugged landscapes of Corsica to the historic streets of Rome, Florence, and Pisa. A scholarship to the Casa Velasquez in Madrid allowed him to spend two years immersed in the Spanish tradition, a period that left a lasting mark on his perspective.

His technical repertoire included:

• Etching and drypoint on copper
• Aquatint for tonal depth
• Oil painting on canvas
• Draftsmanship and sketching

The Observation of Life

The subjects of his work were often found in the quiet corners of existence. He had a particular affinity for the animal kingdom, a passion that eventually earned him the first prize for animal artist in 1998. Whether he was sketching animals at a zoo or capturing the stillness of a still life, his work remained grounded in observation. He found beauty in the mundane—a bowl of lemons, a blue flask, or the simple presence of a peasant. His work moved through various settings, from the urban landscapes of Paris to the sunny harbors of the French Riviera.

His legacy is held in significant collections, including the National Library of France, which preserves over 200 of his works. From the melancholic portraits of his early years to the thick impasto of his later oil paintings, Righetti’s career was a continuous dialogue between the artist and the physical world. He died in Paris, leaving behind a body of work that reflects a life spent looking closely at the textures of life.