Me on the Pier by the Sea, 192os Surrealist British Canadian Outsider St Ives Cornwall Artist by the French Seaside Oil on Canvas

1900 - 1920

Sold by Skippings Fine Arts

Description

Touchingly, artist Ben Tobias titled this painting "Moi" (Me). So, this glorious 1920s seaside scene with ladies in white dresses on a pier is also a self portrait. Can you guess who the artist is? Although "Moi" is written just below the depiction of a bather in the water, I believe "Moi" is the seated figure in blue - the outsider, as defined even by the colour of his clothes.

Ben Tobias (1901-1985) would only have been been twenty-odd years old when he painted this work of art. Born in Montreal, Canada, with the name of Hiam Galutsky, he came - like many a young ambitious artist - to France in the 1920s. It would not have been easy. And yet: Ben made friends with Raoul Dufy, and he showed his work alongside many of the French moderns highly regarded today (Utrillo, Chagall, Braque and others). Raoul Dufy was a native of Le Havre in Normandy, and "Sainte Adresse", where Ben Tobias situates the painting, is a mile down the road from Le Havre City Centre. The connection with Raoul Dufy is hence very clear. In this work of art, Ben Tobias creates a singular surrealist masterpiece with a dreamlike quality which touches on the themes of beauty and solitude.

Ben Tobias would subsequently move to St Ives, where je met his wife. they settled and worked at all manner of menial jobs in cafes and shops for some years, while exhibiting in group shows and venues throughout Cornwall.

Always living frugally, patrons in both Cornwall and London enabled his artistic career to continue. Eventually he returned to Canada with his family. He achieved good reviews in London and Europe, and exhibited in Germany, Paris and London. Tobias is referenced in Hardie's "Artists in Newlyn and West Cornwall", and Whybrow's "The Innocent Eye".

Our oil on canvas measures 38x 46 cm. Please forgive the old and perfectly stable craquelure visible in some areas of this hundred-year-old work: Ben Tobias would have poor as a church mouse when he painted this, and probably only added the stretcher bars a couple of years after its completion. The overall framed size in a simple frame is 52 x 43 cm.

Physical Dimensions

Height

38cm (14.96")

Width

46cm (18.11")

Depth

1cm (0.39")

Declaration

Skippings Fine Arts has dated this piece to the 1920s.

Reference Numbers

Sellingantiques Reference

SA793819

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

Touchingly, artist Ben Tobias titled this painting "Moi" (Me).

“

So, this glorious 1920s seaside scene with ladies in white dresses on a pier is also a self portrait.

Skippings Fine Arts

Can you guess who the artist is? Although "Moi" is written just below the depiction of a bather in the water, I believe "Moi" is the seated figure in blue - the outsider, as defined even by the colour of his clothes.

fig 1. Me on the Pier by the sea, 192Os surrealist British Canadian outsider St Ives Cornwall artist by the French seaside oil on canvas — fig 1. Me on the Pier by the Sea, 192os Surrealist British Canadian Outsider St Ives Cornwall Artist by the French Seaside Oil on Canvas

Ben Tobias (1901-1985) would only have been been twenty-odd years old when he painted this work of art. Born in Montreal, Canada, with the name of Hiam Galutsky, he came - like many a young ambitious artist - to France in the 1920s. It would not have been easy. And yet: Ben made friends with Raoul Dufy, and he showed his work alongside many of the French moderns highly regarded today (Utrillo, Chagall, Braque and others). Raoul Dufy was a native of Le Havre in Normandy, and "Sainte Adresse", where Ben Tobias situates the painting, is a mile down the road from Le Havre City Centre. The connection with Raoul Dufy is hence very clear. In this work of art, Ben Tobias creates a singular surrealist masterpiece with a dreamlike quality which touches on the themes of beauty and solitude.

fig 2. Me on the Pier by the sea, 192Os surrealist British Canadian outsider St Ives Cornwall artist by the French seaside oil on canvas — fig 2. Me on the Pier by the Sea, 192os Surrealist British Canadian Outsider St Ives Cornwall Artist by the French Seaside Oil on Canvas

Ben Tobias would subsequently move to St Ives, where je met his wife. they settled and worked at all manner of menial jobs in cafes and shops for some years, while exhibiting in group shows and venues throughout Cornwall.

fig 3. Me on the Pier by the sea, 192Os surrealist British Canadian outsider St Ives Cornwall artist by the French seaside oil on canvas — fig 3. Me on the Pier by the Sea, 192os Surrealist British Canadian Outsider St Ives Cornwall Artist by the French Seaside Oil on Canvas

Always living frugally, patrons in both Cornwall and London enabled his artistic career to continue. Eventually he returned to Canada with his family. He achieved good reviews in London and Europe, and exhibited in Germany, Paris and London. Tobias is referenced in Hardie's "Artists in Newlyn and West Cornwall", and Whybrow's "The Innocent Eye".

fig 4. Me on the Pier by the sea, 192Os surrealist British Canadian outsider St Ives Cornwall artist by the French seaside oil on canvas — fig 4. Me on the Pier by the Sea, 192os Surrealist British Canadian Outsider St Ives Cornwall Artist by the French Seaside Oil on Canvas

Our oil on canvas measures 38x 46 cm. Please forgive the old and perfectly stable craquelure visible in some areas of this hundred-year-old work: Ben Tobias would have poor as a church mouse when he painted this, and probably only added the stretcher bars a couple of years after its completion. The overall framed size in a simple frame is 52 x 43 cm.