Hunstein’s Magnificent Bird of Paradise
pencil on paper
inscribed with title (upper edge), and signed with initials ‘SB’ (lower right)
9.1/2 x 7 in. (24 x 17.5 cm.)
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Simon Bussy (1870–1954) was a French-born painter and draughtsman whose career bridged the artistic traditions of France and Britain. Born in Dole, he studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris under Gustave Moreau, whose atelier also nurtured artists including Henri Matisse, Georges Rouault and Albert Marquet.
In the early 1900s, Bussy settled in England after marrying the writer Dorothy Strachey, becoming closely connected with the Bloomsbury circle through her family, including Lytton Strachey and Virginia Woolf. Although independent of any particular movement, his work combined the influence of French Symbolism and Post-Impressionism with a distinctly British sensibility.
Bussy is best known for his exquisitely observed paintings and drawings of animals and birds. Working in oil, pastel and pencil, he combined precise draughtsmanship with a remarkable sensitivity to the character and movement of his subjects, transforming animal portraiture into something both decorative and deeply expressive.
His work was exhibited in Britain and France and is held in major collections including Tate, the British Museum, the Fitzwilliam Museum and the National Portrait Gallery. His art remains admired for its quiet refinement, elegant design and exceptional observation of the natural world.
Hunstein’s Magnificent Bird of Paradise
pencil on paper
inscribed with title (upper edge), and signed with initials ‘SB’ (lower right)
9.1/2 x 7 in. (24 x 17.5 cm.)
Read More »
Simon Bussy (1870–1954) was a French-born painter and draughtsman whose career bridged the artistic traditions of France and Britain. Born in Dole, he studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris under Gustave Moreau, whose atelier also nurtured artists including Henri Matisse, Georges Rouault and Albert Marquet.
In the early 1900s, Bussy settled in England after marrying the writer Dorothy Strachey, becoming closely connected with the Bloomsbury circle through her family, including Lytton Strachey and Virginia Woolf. Although independent of any particular movement, his work combined the influence of French Symbolism and Post-Impressionism with a distinctly British sensibility.
Bussy is best known for his exquisitely observed paintings and drawings of animals and birds. Working in oil, pastel and pencil, he combined precise draughtsmanship with a remarkable sensitivity to the character and movement of his subjects, transforming animal portraiture into something both decorative and deeply expressive.
His work was exhibited in Britain and France and is held in major collections including Tate, the British Museum, the Fitzwilliam Museum and the National Portrait Gallery. His art remains admired for its quiet refinement, elegant design and exceptional observation of the natural world.
