René Robert Bouchè 1905-1963

Born in Prague, Austria-Hungary, René Bouché began life as Robert August Buchstein. The youngest of three brothers, René’s mother mother Paula died when he was 10, and his father Siegfried was often absent. Self taught, René began drawing early and by the age of 15 had began to work professionally illustrating children’s books. He studied art history briefly with Heinrich Wölfflin at Munich University before moving to Berlin where he adopted the name René Robert Bouché. Here he worked as a fashion illustrator and met German artist Margo R. Schoenlank, who he married in 1933. Shortly after Hitler came to power René and Margo made their way to Paris. In January 1934, Michel, their son was born.

In Paris Bouché studied oil painting under the French Cubist Amédée Ozenfant while contributing fashion drawings to Plaisir de France and creating advertisements for Nestlé. His big break came in 1938 when he was commissioned by French Vogue. However, he soon found his position as both a Jew and foreign national untenable and joined the French Army. René was placed in a French detention camp but managed to escape Paris just before German forces arrived and made his way to Biarritz before heading to Bilbao, Spain. He then sailed to New York on one of the last American ships to leave Europe before the United States entered World War II. His wife Margo and son Michel spent the duration of the war in Paris, Margo becoming heavily involved with the French Résistance.