Adolphe Gumery was the son of the sculptor Charles Gumery. He had one son, Achille, a painter, who was killed during World War I. From 1882, Adolphe Gumery was a student at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, where he was taught by Gustave Boulanger and Jules Lefebvre. From 1881 to 1891, he exhibited at the Salon des Artistes Français, and from 1891 to 1942 at the Salon de la Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts, becoming an associate member in 1904, a full member in 1906, then a member of the jury and secretary-general. In 1906, he was involved in the founding of the Salon d'Automne. He had numerous solo exhibitions, in Paris, Tunis and Brussels. In 2002, the Taylor Foundation in Paris presented a retrospective exhibition of his paintings and drawings.

Although he was familiar with the contemporary movements of Cubism, Abstract Art and Fauvism, Adolphe Gumery was not much influenced by their style. The subject of his paintings was turn-of-the-century Paris, and especially the old quarter of Passy. He travelled a great deal, notably in Spain, Morocco and Tunisia, and also travelled around France, visiting Brittany, Normandy and Provence, where he created works in Impressionist style. There followed an 'Orientalist' period, in North Africa, from 1920 to 1930. He produced numerous portraits of his family and friends.

Museum and Gallery Holdings

Bordeaux: The Bath
Douai
Düsseldorf: Lamoureux Concert
Épinal: Leaving for the Festival
Hazebrouck
Paris (MAMVP)
Paris (Mus. d'Orsay)