Cross, Henri-Edmond

1856 – 1910
French

Born Henri-Edmond-Joseph Delacroix in the North of France, Henri changed his name to the more Anglo sounding Henri Cross (Croix = cross) in an effort to differentiate himself from the famous Romantic painter Eugène Delacroix in 1881.

A close friend of Paul Signac and Georges Seurat, Cross quickly abandoned Realism and adopted Neo-Impressionism and Pointillism as his predominant styles. He was a co-founder of the Société des Artistes Indépendants – a new concept of art salon that was unjuried and without prizes. He developed an affinity for lithographs that showcased his brilliant use of color.