The Good Natured Gardener and His Rose, Ca 1935 French Antique Oil on Panel

1920 - 1940

Sold by Skippings Fine Arts

Description

A wonderful painting for a gardener - or for a Rose! In this oil on panel from the second quarter of the 20th Century, painter Alfred Gaspart encapsulates joy, and the everyday good in humanity. We can imagine that our gardener led a simple life - though probably not adverse to the odd glass of red wine - and nurtured his roses lovingly. He has what the French call "une bonne tête", and is dressed in traditional gardener's garb and straw hat.

Alfred Gaspart was born in Argentina in 1900, as the son of a French Basque father and and Argentinean mother. The family moved to France in 1903.

Gaspart studied art at the Cours Germain Pilon, the Beaux-Arts and at the Atelier Fernand Cormon. Working in both painting and photography, he settled in Montparnasse. Using Paris as a base, he traveled extensively throughout the Mediterranean, drawing and painting as he traveled.

Gaspart’s close associates included Andre Derain, Marie Laurencin, Andre Salmon and Torres Garcia.

During WWII, he was captured by the Germans and held Prisoner of War for 5 years, mostly at Stalag and at Benediktbeuren Internment Camps. While a prisoner, he drew over 2000 sketches and portraits of his fellow prisoners and kept a journal, which became the basis of an exhibition in 2005, the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the camps, and were published in the book “Alfred Gaspart: Painting in Captivity 1940-1945 Stalag VII A” (still available from Amazon)

After the war, he returned to Paris with severe depression. Sculptor ssip Zadkiine loaned him a studio where Gaspart spent the rest of his days painting, until his death on March 12, 1993. The studio is now the Zadkine Museum.

Our painting comes from the artist's estate: it is signed at the lower left with the estate stamp, and bears on the verso a further studio stamp and an article about the sale. The oil on panel measures 74 x 61 cm. The overall framed size in a simple, resized frame with some wear is ca 78 x 65 cm.

Physical Dimensions

Height

74cm (29.13")

Width

61cm (24.02")

Depth

1cm (0.39")

Declaration

Skippings Fine Arts has dated this piece to the 1930s.

Reference Numbers

Sellingantiques Reference

SA652617

Dealers Notes

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.

Description

A wonderful painting for a gardener - or for a Rose! In this oil on panel from the second quarter of the 20th Century, painter Alfred Gaspart encapsulates joy, and the everyday good in humanity.

“

We can imagine that our gardener led a simple life - though probably not adverse to the odd glass of red wine - and nurtured his roses lovingly.

Skippings Fine Arts

He has what the French call "une bonne tête", and is dressed in traditional gardener's garb and straw hat.

fig 1. The good natured gardener and his rose, ca 1935 French antique oil on panel — fig 1. The Good Natured Gardener and His Rose, Ca 1935 French Antique Oil on Panel

Alfred Gaspart was born in Argentina in 1900, as the son of a French Basque father and and Argentinean mother. The family moved to France in 1903.

Gaspart studied art at the Cours Germain Pilon, the Beaux-Arts and at the Atelier Fernand Cormon. Working in both painting and photography, he settled in Montparnasse. Using Paris as a base, he traveled extensively throughout the Mediterranean, drawing and painting as he traveled.

fig 2. The good natured gardener and his rose, ca 1935 French antique oil on panel — fig 2. The Good Natured Gardener and His Rose, Ca 1935 French Antique Oil on Panel

Gaspart’s close associates included Andre Derain, Marie Laurencin, Andre Salmon and Torres Garcia.

During WWII, he was captured by the Germans and held Prisoner of War for 5 years, mostly at Stalag and at Benediktbeuren Internment Camps. While a prisoner, he drew over 2000 sketches and portraits of his fellow prisoners and kept a journal, which became the basis of an exhibition in 2005, the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the camps, and were published in the book “Alfred Gaspart: Painting in Captivity 1940-1945 Stalag VII A” (still available from Amazon)

fig 3. The good natured gardener and his rose, ca 1935 French antique oil on panel — fig 3. The Good Natured Gardener and His Rose, Ca 1935 French Antique Oil on Panel

After the war, he returned to Paris with severe depression. Sculptor ssip Zadkiine loaned him a studio where Gaspart spent the rest of his days painting, until his death on March 12, 1993. The studio is now the Zadkine Museum.

fig 4. The good natured gardener and his rose, ca 1935 French antique oil on panel — fig 4. The Good Natured Gardener and His Rose, Ca 1935 French Antique Oil on Panel

Our painting comes from the artist's estate: it is signed at the lower left with the estate stamp, and bears on the verso a further studio stamp and an article about the sale. The oil on panel measures 74 x 61 cm. The overall framed size in a simple, resized frame with some wear is ca 78 x 65 cm.