Gaston Balande (1880-1971)
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Gaston Balande (1880-1971) Les Dentelles de Montmirail near Gigondas Oil on canvas Signed 53 x 73 cm
Gaston Balande was born in Saujon (Charente-Maritime ) on 31st May 1880. He was a pupil of Fernand Cormon and Rupert Bunny. He spent 60 years of his life in Etaples, Pas-de-Calais and Paris before settling in La Rochelle after World War II. Between 1931 and 1954 he was the curator of the Musée des Beaux-Arts in La Rochelle. He was decorated with the title of Chevalier of the Legion d’Honneur in 1925, an Officier in 1952 and a Chevalier de Arts et Lettres in 1961. He established his artistic career between the wars and his work was highly regarded in the contemporary art world. In what is known as his ‘dark’ period, he began painting the political and social realities in a restrained and sombre palette. After a study trip to Belgium, Holland, Spain and Italy in 1912/13, however, his palette became more lucid and he started painting in a vein of refined Post-Impressionism. Although he was declared unfit for service during World War I, he was nevertheless engaged as an official army painter in 1917. He specialised in landscapes and nudes but also painted portraits and still lifes, and composed designs for tapestries. His paintings for the Town Hall at Aubervilliers were exhibited at the Salon in 1930 and 1931. His illustrative work includes drawings for ‘La Servante Maitresse’ by the Tharaud brothers and ‘Pays d’Aunis et Saintonge’ by H. Talvart and Vaux de Folietier and he also wrote and illustrated ‘Re, Ile accueillante’. From 1905 he exhibited at the Salon of Societe des Artistes Francais, becoming a member in 1912, the year he received a travel bursary. He showed at the Salon d’Automne, the Salon de Artistes Independants, the Salon of the Societe Nationale des Beaux Arts and the Tuileries. He also exhibited in Brussels in 1910 and 1925, and participated at the International Exhibition in Paris, in 1937. In 2004 an exhibition entitled Gaston Balande Meconnu: Peintres, Dessins, Gravures (The Unknown Gaston Balande: Paintings, Drawings and Engravings), which concentrated on his work prior to World War II, was held at the Espace d’ Art Contemporain in La Rochelle and the Musee de Orbigny-Bernon. His work is held in many public collections including the museums of Albi, Alencon, Dijon, Fontenay-le-Comte, Gap, La Rochelle (including a version of ‘Port de La Rochelle’), Paris (Gobelins, Musee de Art Moderne, Petit Palais), Pau and Saintes. He died on 8th April 1971 in Paris. Enquire about this artwork |
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