Georges Rouault

For me, painting is a way to forget life.  It is a cry in the night, a strangled laugh.  
~Georges Rouault  (1871-1958)

Rouault is one of my FAVORITE artists of all time.  He was trained for a time as a stained glass artist, and as evidenced above, this totally influenced his work.  Early on, he restored medieval stained glass windows. I think I am drawn to his work because  I love medieval Catholic churches and their stained glass windows :)  I would live in an old abandoned one if I could, although that would be sacrilegious, I am sure. 
Anyway, back to Georges.  A brief biography can be found Here  
He became part of the Modernist movement, and more specifically was associated with the Fauvist.  The Fauvists (wild beasts) were a group of artists who painted with extreme color.  Fauvism 

He had  an intense love for all things Medieval and he was a devout Catholic.  Because of his religious convictions, he didn't quite fit in with the other modern artists.  He worked in isolation most of his life.   Initially, his paintings dealt with the misery of the human condition.  He painted sad clowns, prostitutes, the poor.... Later, he painted saints, Old Testament figures, and Christ.  He said of his art, 
"My only objective is to paint a Christ so moving that those who see him will be converted. " 

I love this man's art.  I am inspired by his courage to paint by conviction.  Regardless of what others thought of his work, he painted with integrity.  I could go on with details of his life and other reasons why I am inspired by him, but I won't.  I just want to look at some more of his art Galleries