Paul César Helleu (1859 – 1927) was a French painter and designer.
He was also the father of Jean Helleu and the grandfather of Jacques Helleu who were artistic directors for Parfums Chanel.
Helleu studied at the Lycée Chaptal and when he was 16 he was accepted at the École des Beaux-Arts.
His artistic style was influenced by his mentor, the portrait painter Giovanni Boldini, and as a painter he is best known for his portraits of women in Belle Époque society.
Later in his career, he was influenced by the painter James Jacques Tissot and became interested in the drypoint technique of engraving with a diamond stylus directly onto a bronze plate.
In 1904, Helleu was awarded the Legion of Honor and in 1912 he was commissioned to design the ceiling decoration for the Grand Central Terminal in New York City.
