'Cabins in the Camargue' by Yves Brayer (circa 1950s)

'Cabins in the Camargue' by Yves Brayer (circa 1950s). The Camargue is a vast, swampy delta near Arles, very exotic, with tall marsh grasses where pink flamingos, black bulls and white horses roam freely. This image depicts one of the gardians in a small gathering of cabanes, hat hanging cowboy-style around the back of the neck, as he approaches his horse grazing outside its modest stable. Although there are many horses that still run free in the Camargue, there are cowboys like this one — called gardians — who ride the white horses on the beaches and herd black cattle, while flamingos wade in the shallow marshy waters. Dating back to the early 16th century, the gardians are a professional order of cowboys who protect and care for the herds of horses and black bulls that roam around the region. They're one of the oldest groups of cowboys in the world and arguably, the ancestors of the first American cowboys. Back in the 1600s, these gardians sailed to New Orleans, where they rode through the bayous of Louisiana and Texas, rounding up the cattle. The painting is in good overall condition with some minor cracking in a few areas of the paint commensurate with age. The artwork was recently cleaned by an art restoration specialist and reframed using museum quality components in order to preserve it for decades to come. Please enjoy the many photos accompanying this listing. Upon request a video may be provided.

About the Artist: Yves Brayer (1907-1990) was born in Versailles, France. Determined to be an artist from an early age, he set out for Paris in 1924, initially studying at the academies in Montparnasse, and from there he attended the École des Beaux-Arts. Whilst still a student he exhibited at the Salon d’Automne and the Salon des Indépendants, and in 1927 Brayer left Paris for Spain with the aid of a state grant to enable him to study the works of the Spanish Masters in the Prado. 

On his return to Paris in 1934 he exhibited a collection of paintings inspired by his travels in Europe and Morocco to great acclaim. Having moved south to Cordes in the Tarn region of France after the War, Brayer then discovered the area which was to have the greatest artistic influence on his work: Provence. He was enchanted by the diverse and architectural forms of the Alpilles mountains, and by the vast expanse of the Camargue region with its ubiquitous white horses and black bulls. From then on he spent several months each year working in Provence. He also made several trips to Mexico, Egypt, Iran, Greece, Russia, USA and Japan where he was quick to grasp the unique rhythm and light of each country.

A large collection of Yves Brayer’s paintings are on permanent display both at the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Cordes, in the Salle Yves Brayer and at the Musée Yves Brayer in Les Baux de Provence, as well as various museums in France and elsewhere. Brayer passed away in 1990. His artworks are an investment. Bids at the international auction houses continue to advance as appreciation for his work mounts. Some of the artist's oil paintings are now selling for tens of thousands of dollars.

Dimensions with frame:

H 48.5 cm / 19.1"

W 65.5 cm / 25.8"

Dimensions without frame:

H 36 cm / 14.2"

W 53 cm / 20.9"