Walter Sickert

His genealogy is more dramatic than all of his paintings: Walter Sickert (1860-1942) descended from Danish painters, an English astronomist and an alcoholic Irish dancer. This Londoner born in Munich spent a good part of his life in France and long stays in Venice. All these elements explain his empathy for his brother and his staunch position as a European. He was a friend of Degas, of Blanche and of Wilde, he is curious about all manifestations of modern and urban life - shop owners, workers, music-hall dancers, prostitutes, the high society of horse races and sea resorts. He was a link between Impressionism and the avant-gards, but today he is forgotten in spite of a -brief- return to fame due to the thesis on him by Jack the Ripper. Best-seller author Patricia Cornwell defended it in particular, and she bought dozens of his works to carry out her investigation. The exhibition, open until 25 September 2016 at the castle-museum of his favorite city, Dieppe, reminds all visitors that fortunately many of his works are still available.

• Walter Sickert, by Delphine Lévy, Somogy art publisher, 2016, 152 p. , €28.