Born and living in Paris until the age of 24, he spent his school holidays in Normandy, with his maternal grandmother, a Polish aristocrat, with whom he started at the age of seven painting and drawing. Artist herself, she was a demanding teacher.
Charcoal, graphite, colored pencil, gouache to start, then at ten years old, the first box of oil paints and canvas came.
Now this passion never leaves.
After a stint at the Graduate School of Applied Arts in Paris, he left to enter the school of Paris Haute Couture. Starting as a freelance designer, he then joined Givenchy and here is the beginning of a career that will take him to Japan as artistic director for the famous fashion house.
Back in France, he is asked by Schiaparelli, Place Vendome, and there will be a little more than two years of madness.
After a dozen years of service with the high Fashion “Haute Couture”, he decided to end his career in fashion and starts a new experience.
This time as a commercial, on behalf of a major company in cosmetology business located in Monaco.
He gets rid up with this world quickly.
His passion for hunting and his extensive knowledge in the area of sport shooting that he practice diligently, will lead him to the position of Director of Purchase in an import and sales company of arms.
Meanwhile he remains paintings for buddies in “amateur” of animal in wildlife and hunting situation. But an old friend of him, notary, convinced him to wear his painter’s coat as a professional.
Very soon his love for wildlife and colors of Africa boosted his inspiration …
The artist paint exclusively in oil on thick canvas prepared by him-self.
At the beginning his first productions were very classical and figurative, online with the hyper-realistic popular movement in Europe and especially in the USA. PHR gets tired very quickly of this standard work where imagination and creation are not priorities.
The colors will become very saturated, contrasting and sometimes even violent.
He frequently uses the optical impressions offered by the interplay of colors and plays perfectly additive and subtractive of their effects.
He first exhibited some works on the stands of friends-at the “Game Fair® of Chambord’s castle” and especially in the “Country Show®” in Paris and the Salon de Rambouillet. Then he appears during 1987 to 1990 on a stand under his name, journalists noticing him laudatory articles succeed.
This is the beginning of a reputation that continues to grow since.
His paintings, often large format, is unexpected in the world of animal art, indeed, subjects and choice of colors are totally out of standard and does not leave the viewer indifferent.
An illustrious told him jokingly: “You’re somewhere the new Warhol in animal art”
He is permanently displayed at Holland & Holland in Paris and London.
One of his works will be auctioned at one annual convention of “the Safari Club International®” in Las Vegas and offered to the benefit of the Human Service Committee.
Another one was sold at “Christie’s®” in London to the benefit of the Association of Defense of the Atlantic salmon.
His paintings are exported: Russia, Switzerland, South Africa, USA, England and Italy.
Lots of his paintings are in the collections of the major French art lovers.
His art is constantly evolving and it’s fun to ask: “What will we get out next?”
This is not only a naturalistic painting: As shown in a recent exhibition with paintings of beautiful young naked women alongside lion or leopard …
The series of vultures and bloody carcasses was very surprising, not trivial!
Unusually for a painter his exhibitions are designed like a collection of haute couture: Thematic.
His large oil “very decorative” attracts more and more customers of a totally foreign world of hunting as in house decorators.
Philippe H Ragot likes to establish and maintain a close contact with its customers some becoming friends. He frequently goes to see the picture in situation in their home.
He also does appreciate to work under order, thus offering the opportunity to adapt the work perfectly with its environment. This point is very important for him.
“A picture misplaced or awkwardly chosen in his format or in his overall tone is not a fully benefit to anyone”
En compagnie de Madame S Alsac.
