A Patio Overlooking the Sea, Ca 1920, Oran Mediterranean Summer Scene French Woman Artist Oil on Canvas

The artist was very clear on this: "pas à vendre" (not for sale) she carefully inscribed a label on the back of the painting. While she was willing to loan it for an exhibition, she certainly wanted it back.

Unsurprisingly: it's a lovely work which brings good humour and sunlight into any room. It is at present displayed at an easel in my office, and I feel rather loath to part with it, too.

The painting depicts a patio in Oran, also known as "the radiant city" on the gulf of Oran in Algeria. Mériem, the artists mother was born there into a French colonial family, adding a personal element to the picture.

But let's spool back: woman artist Magdeleine Dayot (1885-1956) was the daughter of Armand Dayot , the famous art critic.

She was a child prodigy and exhibited for the first time aged only 7, at the pastellists salon in Paris in 1891.

She studied at the Parisian Académie Julian from 1905 and made her adult debut as an artist in 1912, at the Salon des arts décoratifs du pavillon de Marsan and at the Salon d'Automne exhibitions.

In 1913, she presented her work at the Cercle de l'union artistique as well as at the salon of the Société nationale des beaux-arts, where she would continue to show her work.

During the First World War, Magdeleine was the secretary of the Prisoner of War Clothing Organization ,for which she received the Medal of Recognition.

After the war , Magdeleine Dayot continued her participation in national exhibitions, becoming a regular at the Salon des Tuileries and the the Salon d'Automne. Multi talented, she was also interested in applied arts: the Sevres porcelain factory commissioned decorative motifs from her and in 1931, during the International Colonial Exhibition , she showed a remarkable carpet , which was exhibited in the Colonial Palace of the Golden Gate.

In October 1934, she took over the direction of the magazine L'Art et les Artistes , founded by her father in 1905; Magdeleine had already been writing critical articles for it for several years. She wrote in-depth articles on female creators, and, as a committed feminist, she participated in numerous events bringing together only women artists. She was one of the most enthusiastic about the work of Tamara de Lempicka .

Our beautiful mediterranean patio was painted in circa 1920 and bears an Oran exhibition label. Measuring 50 x 60 cm, the overall framed size is 60 x 70 cm.

Nous parlons français, und wir sprechen auch Deutsch! Paintings may be viewed in Norwich and in Paris, as well as in London and Cambridge by appointment. Please contact us if you would like further details and images of an artwork.