Père Tanguy and Sennelier: Two Names in Service of the Impressionists, Two Stories Rooted in Brittany
In 2025, we celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Julien François Tanguy, better known as Père Tanguy, born in 1825 in Plédran, in the Côtes-d’Armor region of Brittany. A key figure in the art world of the late 19th century, Père Tanguy was not a painter himself but played a vital role in the rise of Impressionism. As a color merchant and steadfast supporter of artists, he represents a generation of passionate individuals who, behind the scenes, helped revolutionary art movements flourish.
Père Tanguy: Color Merchant and Artistic Ally
Based in Paris, Père Tanguy ran a shop supplying artists with canvases, pigments, brushes, and paints—often on credit to struggling young painters. Among his clientele were Cézanne, Pissarro, Monet, Renoir, and Van Gogh. More than a shopkeeper, he was a confidant, a discreet patron, and a loyal advocate of the avant-garde. Van Gogh even immortalized him in a famous portrait, now emblematic of this vibrant artistic period.
Sennelier: A Kindred Spirit in the World of Color
Just a few years later, in 1887, Gustave Sennelier founded his fine art color house in Paris, across from the Louvre. Like Père Tanguy, he was committed to one mission: providing artists with exceptional materials to bring their visions to life. Impressionists quickly adopted Sennelier’s colors for their richness, smoothness, and permanence. Cézanne—again—was among the earliest and most loyal customers of the brand.
A Remarkable Geographical and Historical Connection
Two centuries later, an unexpected link emerges between these two figures: Brittany. Père Tanguy was born in Plédran, just a few kilometers from where Sennelier’s modern-day production site now stands. It’s in this same region that Sennelier colors are still manufactured today, preserving a time-honored tradition of excellence.
A Silent but Pivotal Role
Art history is often told through the names of its great painters, but it is also carried forward by those who made artistic creation possible. Père Tanguy and Sennelier share this legacy: they were enablers of creation, artisans of the background whose support was instrumental to the emergence of some of history’s most influential artistic movements.