Gabriel Deschamps (1919-2011) Oil on canvas - The rose - 1960

Gabriel Deschamps (1919-2011) Oil on canvas. The Rose. Signed bottom left. Circa 1960-1970. Wood frame with blue-grey patina. Dimensions with frame: 56x48cm. Dimensions without frame: 35x28cm. Very good condition. *Born in France just after the First World War, he showed a keen interest in the visual arts from an early age. He joined the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris, where he received solid academic training. During his studies, he was named laureate of the institution and became a member of the Société des Artistes Français, allowing him to exhibit regularly in the major Parisian salons of the time. His career took a decisive turn when he began painting the landscapes of the South of France. Settled in Provence, he made the region his main source of inspiration. Fascinated by the intense light of the Midi, he spent decades capturing the atmosphere of the Côte d'Azur, the bustling markets, the perched little villages, the olive groves, and the sun-drenched calanques. His work is in line with post-impressionism, characterised by a lively touch, the use of a spatula or knife to create relief, and a palette of warm and vibrant colours. Although landscape is his preferred subject, he also experiments with the same sense of material in more intimate floral still lifes, such as bouquets of roses treated with great freedom of gesture. Gabriel Deschamps' success quickly transcended the borders of France. By the 1960s and 1970s, his works were actively sought after by international collectors, particularly in the UK and the USA. He regularly exhibited in prestigious galleries in London and New York, where his canvases symbolised a certain idea of the sweetness of life and the Provençal sun.