Ernest Pignon-Ernest
  • Biography
  • Artworks
  • Studio
  • Exhibitions
  • Movements

Ernest Pignon-Ernest

France • 1942  997 followers

Ambassador of urban art in France, creating human-sized figures on city streets with charcoal and black chalk.

Biography

Ernest Pignon-Ernest, ambassador of urban art in France was born in Nice in 1942. He lives in Paris where he spread his art in the streets of the capital.

With charcoal and black chalk, Ernest Pignon-Ernest sketches human-sized figures on posters and then sticks them. He works with ribbed erasers of all sizes, refines shadows and brings realism and depth to his work. Like an owl, he goes out hunting walls in the night in order to create. Discreet and quick are the key words for his nocturnal outings.

Ernest-Pignon Ernest doesn't choose his places coincidentally. Thinking about the space takes up as much time as the final creation. A true instigator, he deciphers the environment in its spatial and symbolic dimension. He needs to be able to capture the entire territory to have an expert hand on it and provide his fictional element afterward. The essence of the place is then portrayed to all.

With Daniel Buren and Gérard Zlotykamien, Ernest-Pignon Ernest is one of the founding fathers of street art in France. Since 30 years, he uses dreams and poetry in alleys and streets, plotting the furrow for those generations of artists that will follow.

He can't help it but he still has some urban art founding principles like the ephemeral. Ernest-Pignon Ernest produces in series  with the help of thin and delicate paper, therefore he goes with the flow of events. The work in streets belong to him and depend on him. The drawings will vanish through time or will be covered.

The artist gives a lot of important to the fact that creation has to be a part of his visual context. His human figures trigger face to face encounters with passers by, they are questioned while being on the street.

During Ernest Pignon-Ernest's life, he defended all kinds of major social issues and became part of these in a political and artistic manner. In 1977, he was one of the founders of the National union of visual artists and the member of the French communism party.

His career and trips made him encounter horrible scenes. Firstly, Ernest-Pignon Ernest was horrified by the apocalypse events which hit Nagasaki and the walls still retain the traces, he sees shadows still impacted by the shock. The AIDS issue in South of Africa not to mention the struggle against Apartheid.

Ernest-Pignon-Ernest manages to capture the beauty and terror of the world, sometimes in the same work. He springs the essence of these two worlds, in order to question and stimulate the conscience, through finesse.

In 2023, Ernest Pignon-Ernest was exhibited during Galerie Lelong's "De traces en empreintes" exposition.

Ernest Pignon-Ernest, a pioneer of urban art, has continued to make waves in the art world with notable projects in 2024 and 2025. In November 2024, he showcased a monumental exhibition titled "Concert baroque" in the streets of Havana, Cuba, as part of the 15th Havana Art Biennale. The exhibition, a tribute to Cuban writer Alejo Carpentier, featured historical figures from Vivaldi to Montezuma, blending music, culture, and history. In February 2025, Pignon-Ernest engaged in a fascinating discussion with art historian Pascal Bonafoux at Avignon University, celebrating the release of the book "Le dessin, la mémoire ou la poésie." This event highlighted the artist's connection to Avignon and his ongoing influence in the contemporary art scene. These recent projects affirm Ernest Pignon-Ernest's international recognition and continued impact on the world of urban and contemporary art.

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Fine Art Drawings, Etude pour les arbrorigènes, Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Etude pour les arbrorigènes

Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Fine Art Drawings - 50 x 29 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 19.7 x 11.4 x 0 inch

$15,221

Print, Pablo Neruda - Santiago 81, Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Pablo Neruda - Santiago 81

Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Print - 80 x 60 cm Print - 31.5 x 23.6 inch

$1,240

Fine Art Drawings, Wagner, Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Wagner

Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Fine Art Drawings - 36 x 40 cm Fine Art Drawings - 14.2 x 15.7 inch

$20,294

Print, Rimbaud, Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Rimbaud

Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Print - 48 x 37 cm Print - 18.9 x 14.6 inch

$1,635

Print, Sans-titre, Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Sans-titre

Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Print - 76 x 56 cm Print - 29.9 x 22 inch

$789

Print, Port-au-Prince 2, Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Port-au-Prince 2

Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Print - 60 x 80 cm Print - 23.6 x 31.5 inch

$789

Print, Derrière la vitre 8, Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Derrière la vitre 8

Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Print - 80 x 60 cm Print - 31.5 x 23.6 inch

$789

Print, Pasolini Scampia, Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Pasolini Scampia

Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Print - 40 x 60 cm Print - 15.7 x 23.6 inch

$564

Print, Rimbaud, Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Rimbaud

Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Print - 48 x 37 cm Print - 18.9 x 14.6 inch

$1,240

Print, Rimbaud, Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Rimbaud

Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Print - 48 x 37 cm Print - 18.9 x 14.6 inch

$1,240

Print, Recouvrance 2006, Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Recouvrance 2006

Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Print - 64 x 81 cm Print - 25.2 x 31.9 inch

$789

Print, Derrière la vitre 7, Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Derrière la vitre 7

Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Print - 80 x 60 cm Print - 31.5 x 23.6 inch

$789

Print, Rimbaud, Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Rimbaud

Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Print - 48 x 37 cm Print - 18.9 x 14.6 inch

$1,240

Print, Rimbaud, Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Rimbaud

Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Print - 48 x 37 cm Print - 18.9 x 14.6 inch

$1,240

Print, Rimbaud, Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Rimbaud

Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Print - 46 x 36 x 1 cm Print - 18.1 x 14.2 x 0.4 inch

$1,353

Print, Etude de Fille, Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Etude de Fille

Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Print - 26 x 36 x 1 cm Print - 10.2 x 14.2 x 0.4 inch

$1,353

Print, Etude de Fille, Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Etude de Fille

Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Print - 26 x 36 x 1 cm Print - 10.2 x 14.2 x 0.4 inch

$1,353

Print, Mithra, Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Mithra

Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Print - 76 x 120 cm Print - 29.9 x 47.2 inch

$1,127

Print, Rimbaud, Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Rimbaud

Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Print - 60 x 40 x 1 cm Print - 23.6 x 15.7 x 0.4 inch

$1,353

Print, Etude de jeune fille, Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Etude de jeune fille

Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Print - 60 x 80 x 1 cm Print - 23.6 x 31.5 x 0.4 inch

$2,029

Print, Rimbaud, Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Rimbaud

Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Print - 48 x 37 x 0.2 cm Print - 18.9 x 14.6 x 0.1 inch

$1,240

Print, Desnos-Nerval 2001, Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Desnos-Nerval 2001

Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Print - 80 x 60 cm Print - 31.5 x 23.6 inch

$1,240

Print, Rimbaud, Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Rimbaud

Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Print - 48 x 37 x 0.2 cm Print - 18.9 x 14.6 x 0.1 inch

$1,240

Print, Les Expulsés 2, Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Les Expulsés 2

Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Print - 60 x 40 cm Print - 23.6 x 15.7 inch

$428

Fine Art Drawings, Etude pour Desnos, Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Etude pour Desnos

Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Fine Art Drawings - 38 x 27 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15 x 10.6 x 0.4 inch

$15,784

Print, Sans-titre, Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Sans-titre

Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Print - 22 x 15.3 cm Print - 8.7 x 6 inch

$451

Print, Nice-Le Cap 2, Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Nice-Le Cap 2

Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Print - 45 x 54 cm Print - 17.7 x 21.3 inch

$428

Fine Art Drawings, Etude pour Nerval, Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Etude pour Nerval

Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Fine Art Drawings - 42 x 33 cm Fine Art Drawings - 16.5 x 13 inch

$20,294

Fine Art Drawings, Homme accroupi, Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Homme accroupi

Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Fine Art Drawings - 50 x 49 cm Fine Art Drawings - 19.7 x 19.3 inch

$18,039

Fine Art Drawings, Etude pour Apollinaire, Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Etude pour Apollinaire

Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Fine Art Drawings - 63 x 43 cm Fine Art Drawings - 24.8 x 16.9 inch

$24,804

Print, Giuseppe Verdi, Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Giuseppe Verdi

Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Print - 41 x 38 cm Print - 16.1 x 15 inch

$507

Fine Art Drawings, Rimbaud, Regards, étude n°16, Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Rimbaud, Regards, étude n°16

Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Fine Art Drawings - 31 x 24 cm Fine Art Drawings - 12.2 x 9.4 inch

$15,784

Fine Art Drawings, Regards, Rimbaud, étude n°9, Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Regards, Rimbaud, étude n°9

Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Fine Art Drawings - 24 x 22 cm Fine Art Drawings - 9.4 x 8.7 inch

$20,294

Print, Armand Gatti, Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Armand Gatti

Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Print - 60 x 40.5 cm Print - 23.6 x 15.9 inch

$395

Fine Art Drawings, Etude d'après Marie Madeleine, Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Etude d'après Marie Madeleine

Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Fine Art Drawings - 20 x 95.5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 7.9 x 37.6 inch

$20,294

Print, Violoncelle, Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Violoncelle

Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Print - 76 x 58 cm Print - 29.9 x 22.8 inch

$1,353

Print, Expulsés 2 (Les), Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Expulsés 2 (Les)

Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Print - 60 x 40 cm Print - 23.6 x 15.7 inch

$428

Print, Maurice Ravel, Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Maurice Ravel

Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Print - 41 x 38 cm Print - 16.1 x 15 inch

$507

Fine Art Drawings, Etude pour Giacometti, Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Etude pour Giacometti

Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Fine Art Drawings - 49 x 33 cm Fine Art Drawings - 19.3 x 13 inch

$18,039

Fine Art Drawings, Johannesburg, Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Johannesburg

Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Fine Art Drawings - 20 x 18 cm Fine Art Drawings - 7.9 x 7.1 inch

$11,275

Fine Art Drawings, Derrière la vitre, Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Derrière la vitre

Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Fine Art Drawings - 31 x 21 cm Fine Art Drawings - 12.2 x 8.3 inch

$15,784

Fine Art Drawings, Concert baroque, Verdi, Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Concert baroque, Verdi

Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Fine Art Drawings - 13 x 20 cm Fine Art Drawings - 5.1 x 7.9 inch

$13,530

Fine Art Drawings, Verlaine, Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Verlaine

Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Fine Art Drawings - 39 x 29 x 0.5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.4 x 11.4 x 0.2 inch

$18,039

Print, Extases 3, Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Extases 3

Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Print - 80 x 60 cm Print - 31.5 x 23.6 inch

$789

Print, Arbrorigènes (Les), Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Arbrorigènes (Les)

Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Print - 60 x 80 cm Print - 23.6 x 31.5 inch

$789

Print, Boccaccio / Certaldo, Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Boccaccio / Certaldo

Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Print - 60 x 40 cm Print - 23.6 x 15.7 inch

$564

Print, Abbatiale St Pons, Nice, Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Abbatiale St Pons, Nice

Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Print - 105 x 75 cm Print - 41.3 x 29.5 inch

$1,071

Print, Catherine de Sienne, Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Catherine de Sienne

Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Print - 90 x 60 cm Print - 35.4 x 23.6 inch

$2,221

Print, Marie de l'incarnation, Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Marie de l'incarnation

Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Print - 100 x 50 cm Print - 39.4 x 19.7 inch

$2,018

Print, Extases, Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Extases

Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Print - 60 x 80 cm Print - 23.6 x 31.5 inch

$1,454

Fine Art Drawings, Etude pour les Arbrorigènes, Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Etude pour les Arbrorigènes

Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Fine Art Drawings - 50 x 29 cm Fine Art Drawings - 19.7 x 11.4 inch

$15,221

Print, Extase, Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Extase

Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Print - 120 x 79 x 0.01 cm Print - 47.2 x 31.1 x 0 inch

$1,466

Fine Art Drawings, Extase, Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Extase

Ernest Pignon-Ernest

Fine Art Drawings - 28 x 22 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11 x 8.7 inch

$14,657

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Need to know more?
What are their 3 main works?
What is Ernest Pignon-Ernest’s artistic movement?
The artistic movements of the artists are: Famous Illustrators, Somber Portrait Painters, Classically-Inspired Illustrative Artists, Figurative Street Artists, Detailed Somber Illustrations
When was Ernest Pignon-Ernest born?
The year of birth of the artist is: 1942