'The Bay of Fort-de-France Martinique' by Robert Humblot (1959)

'The Bay of Fort-de-France, Martinique', oil on canvas, by Robert Humblot (1959). A delightfully panoramic view of one of the most beautiful bays in the world, that of Fort-de-France, the capital of Martinique in the Caribbean. Humblot painted several colourful pieces depicting life on the islands which were later used in the Maison Nicolas annual fine wine catalogue (see 'Provenance' below). Martinique is an overseas Department of France where the people are still proud to be attached to that country despite its colonial connections. In this work the artist depicts people going about their business in a bygone era under lofty palm trees and a wispy blue sky. Clearly times were simpler and the landscape pristine. 

This artwork is in good overall condition and has been newly framed with a French-style linen slip. The artist signed the work in the lower right: 'Humblot'. Please enjoy the many photos accompanying this listing. Upon request a video may be provided.

Provenance: From the Nicolas Family collection. Louis Nicolas founded Maison Nicolas in 1822 and has the distinction of being the first wine retailer in France. As a celebration of 100 years in business, Maison Nicolas created an advertising campaign using a logo for their company. A frail deliveryman with a moustache and wide eyes loaded with bottles in each hand was the Maison Nicolas logo. Between 1922 and 1975, some of the most famous French illustrators competed to reinvent this character. Maison Nicolas' owners commissioned artists to illustrate the annual catalogues providing a synergy between wine and art. Because of the fine art used in the content of their annual catalogues, they are highly collected and valuable. In 1960 Robert Humblot painted several works "Under the sign of the French West Indies" for the annual luxury catalog or list of the great wines of the Nicolas house. This original artwork in oil was printed as the cover page of the 1960 catalogue.

About the Artist: Robert Humblot (1907-1962) was born in Fontenay-sous-Bois, France. He began by studying natural sciences, which he left at the age of 23 to enter the Académie de Peinture la Grande-Chaumière, but then was accepted at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris. Under the impetus of the art critic, Henri Héraut, in 1935 he joined forces with several other artists to found the Movement called Forces Nouvelles which advocated a return to drawing and the return to the professional tradition which advocated a deep connection with nature. His painting has the peculiarity of being tinged with humour. Through his nudes, landscapes, still lifes and portraits, Humblot wanted to convey his ideas of what the world should be. He visited the West Indies in 1959 which allows us to date this painting from that era. Humblot's paintings st in the 1950s and continue selling to this day. His artworks appear in museums throughout Europe and from time to time are available for bidding at the major continental auction houses. 

Dimensions with frame:

H 39 cm / 15.4"

W 53.2 cm / 20.9"

Dimensions without frame:

H 27.2 cm / 10.7"

W 41 cm / 16.1"