'Lunch at Chez Louis' by Roland Dubuc (circa 1970s)

'Lunch at Chez Louis', oil on canvas, by Roland Dubuc (circa 1970s). The outdoor terrace at restaurants and cafés in France goes back centuries as they have always been a gathering place for intellectuals to meet and debate philosophical issues; for the Avant Garde set to display their works; for artists to compare and exchange ideas and for writers to drown their sorrows over their artistic anguish or melancholy. Even the freedom fighters of the French Revolution and later the French Resistance would meet in cafés to plot their course. Regular people of course also enjoy these venues. A very delightful feature of these French institutions is that there is always room for quiet book readers, romantic couples, business meetings and lively groups of friends sharing a bottle of wine. The artist Dubuc captures a slice of this lovely aspect of French culture in this smile-inducing depiction painted in vivid oils. With a background of greenery, the patrons enjoy the outdoors protected from the intense sun by the table's parasols. Ah, the life. The artwork is in good vintage condition, is framed and signed by the artist in the lower left hand corner. Please enjoy the many photos accompanying this listing. Upon request a video may be provided.

About the Artist: Roland DuBuc (1924-1998), French artist, the sixth of 13 children and son of a construction worker. The very precariousness of the family's financial situation forced him to go to work at the age of 14. In extreme poverty, he moved to Rouen where he was lodged by the Salvation Army. During that time he struck up friendships with several artists who gave him advice and taught him techniques of drawing. He moved to other cities later where he met painters including, among others, Fred Pailhès (whose works have been sold by this gallery). In 1950 DuBuc moved to Montmartre in a miserable building without water or electricity. His work gained support from galleries after his participation in the 'Great and Young Artists Fair' in Paris. But it wasn't until the mid-1970s during his stay in Switzerland that he started to earn a comfortable living. Upon return to Paris in the 1980s, his oldest collector, Jean-Paul Villain, opened a gallery which featured Dubuc's work in an important a series of exhibitions. These sealed his reputation as a fine artist and gained him an international clientele eager to invest in his works. DuBuc died in his workshop in 1998. 

Dimensions with frame:

H 72 cm / 28.3"

W 85 cm / 33.5"

Dimensions without frame:

H 60 cm / 23.6"

W 73 cm / 28.7"