'Hérbertot et Montherlant' by Roger Bezombes (c. 1960s)
'Hérbertot et Montherlant', gouache on paper, by Roger Bezombes (1913 - 1994). Adopting the vivid colours of Matisse in this artwork, Bezombes paints two of his theatrical and writer friends and colleagues, Jacques Hérbertot (1886 - 1970) and Henry de Montherlant (1895 - 1972). The gentlemen are elegantly dressed, seated at a table and, judging from their facial expressions, posing reluctantly for the artist and feeling intruded upon. The artwork has an unusual vertical perspective and framed such that the viewer sees the subjects as if through a door's narrow window. The vivid palette of green, purple, blue and pink direct the viewer's eye in sequence to all of the painting's elements. Taken together, the composition is harmonious and uplifting. The work is in very good vintage condition commensurate with its age. In its original frame with linen mount, the work is signed in the lower right hand corner, 'roger bezombes'.
About the Artist: French painter, sculptor, medallist and designer, Roger Bezombes was a student at the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris beginning in 1934. In 1936, he was the recipient of a prize which sent him to Africa, and was the recipient of the Grand Prix Artists in Rome the same year. He won the Hallmark Prize in 1949 and the Grand Prix National in 1946. As of 1954, he became a teacher at the prestigious Academie Julian in Paris. Bezombes' works were regularly exhibited in Paris at the Salon d'Automne, the Salon des Artistes Independants, and the Tuileries. He presented his works at international group exhibitions for which he was awarded prizes including in Cairo (1937), Copenhagen (1938), Geneva and New York (1939), Bucharest, Sofia and Athens (1940), Istanbul and Ankara (1941), Lisbon and Barcelona (1942), Valence and Rio de Janeiro (1945). It is no wonder that his art is beloved across the world for its powerful and inimitable style. Bezombes' work continues to be highly sought after in France and abroad, especially since his death in 1994.
Dimensions with frame:
H 36 cm
W 24 cm
Dimensions without frame:
H 23.5 cm
W 11 cm