Charles Alphonse Paul Bellay was a French painter, illustrator, and poster artist active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Though not as widely known as some of his contemporaries, Bellay contributed to the flourishing Art Nouveau and Belle Époque art scenes in France, particularly through his commercial illustration and decorative work.
His style often reflected the ornate, fluid lines and romantic themes popular during this period, and his posters and prints typically combined fine artistic craftsmanship with strong graphic sensibility. Bellay's work frequently appeared in advertisements and publications, showing a keen eye for both composition and storytelling—a skill vital in the growing world of illustrated media at the time.
While detailed records of his life and training remain limited, his surviving works show an artist in tune with the cultural and aesthetic shifts of turn-of-the-century France. Bellay’s contributions sit alongside those of other artists who bridged the gap between traditional painting and the modern visual language of posters, design, and illustration.





