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Octave Guillonnet
Octave Denis Victor Guillonnet (1872 - 1967) Les Oliviers, oil on panel signed

circa 1950

About the Item

Octave Denis Victor Guillonnet (1872 - 1967) Les Oliviers, A landscape with olive trees signed "EODV Guillonnet" lower right Oil on wood panel 38 x 46 cm Framed : 44 x 52 cm Provenance : Galerie Selection, Tunis (see the label on the reverse) Private collection, France In good condition, a thin line of cracks in the wood can be seen in the bottom right-hand corner (see detail photograph please) This painting is very representative of the works produced by Guillonnet when he devoted himself to depicting the landscapes of the Nice region, where he lived for part of the year. It is clearly marked by a post-impressionist style that is freer and more lively than his more formal compositions. Octave Denis Victor Guillonnet was born in Paris on 22 September 1872, He entered the studio of the painter Lionel Royer as an apprentice. Besides Royer, Guillonnet's other teachers included Joseph Blanc and Fernand Cormon at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. From 1887 onwards, he exhibited his most recent works at the Salon des Artistes Français, as he did every year thereafter until his death. For the 1900 Universal Exhibition in Paris, Guillonnet created a monumental decoration representing Asia, Africa and America for the pavilion of the Ministry of Colonies, where he was awarded a silver medal. Before the First World War, Guillonnet began to be represented by the gallery owner Georges Petit. During the war, Guillonnet took refuge in the South of France. Guillonnet devoted himself to his work on the shores of the Mediterranean, painting the thousand facets of female bodies draped in colourful veils where wind and light play. On graduating from the École des Beaux-Arts, Guillonnet produced illustrations commissioned by publishers, but above all portraits, which introduced him to the upper middle classes. He became friends with Pierre-Emmanuel Clergue, a lawyer and future mayor of the town of Carros (Alpes-Maritimes). In 1899, Clergue invited him to come and stay in Carros and provided him with a building known as "La Forge", which he used until the end of his life in 1967. Guillonnet was buried next to his first wife in the Carros cemetery. The epitaph on his grave reads: "Étions deux, N'avions qu'un cœur" (Were two, Had but one heart). Guillonnet never appreciated his first names. At the start of his career, he signed his name "Octave Guillonnet". For a time, he also signed his name "Victor Guillonnet", but soon abandoned this and added his initials to his surname: "ODV Guillonnet". The "E" in his signature from 1931 onwards stands for Eugénie, his wife's first name. It was after her death that Guillonnet added the "E" to his first names in In 1902, Guillonnet exhibited two works at the Salon des artistes français, and the Salon jury awarded him the national prize, which included a travel grant of 4,000 francs to enable him to spend a year in Algeria. This year in Algeria proved to be a decisive turning point in Guillonnet's career. He was profoundly influenced by the light and luminous colours of North Africa. Guillonnet developed his interest in "half-shadow" painting and embraced the post-impressionist painters' theories of colour contrast. Guillonnet's main decorations include the following: The visiting room at the Lycée Lakanal in Sceaux: Guillonnet's first monumental decoration was for the visiting room at the Lycée Lakanal in Sceaux. Salle des Cariatides at Paris City Hall: in 1927, Guillonnet decorated the Salle des Cariatides overlooking the main entrance. Salle des fêtes de la mairie du 15e arrondissement de Paris: Guillonnet was responsible for the central composition of the monumental décor on canvas for the vaulted ceiling of the Salle des fêtes in the 15th arrondissement of Paris. The Casa Amarilla in Caracas, Venezuela: Guillonnet decorated the patio of the Casa Amarilla, the headquarters of the Venezuelan Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Caracas. Le Broc church: in 1939, Guillonnet decorated the entire church of Le Broc, a village in the Alpes-Maritimes next to Carros. Église Saint-Étienne de Jargeau: in November 1952, in memory of his grandmother, Guillonnet delivered a Way of the Cross in shades of green to the church of Saint-Étienne de Jargeau. He was also a well-known illustrator. His works are held in various museums, including those in Bordeaux, Dijon, Nantes, Tourcoing and the Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris. Diego Rivera, the Mexican muralist, chose Guillonnet's studio to work with him when he visited Paris in 1908-1909.
  • Creator:
    Octave Guillonnet (1872 - 1967, French)
  • Creation Year:
    circa 1950
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 14.97 in (38 cm)Width: 18.12 in (46 cm)
  • Medium:
    Oil
  • Movement & Style:
    Post-Impressionist
  • Period:
    1950-1959
  • Condition:
  • Gallery Location:
    Paris, FR
  • Reference Number:
    Seller: Inv 72516901stDibs: LU1112214334092
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