Francois Gall

1912 - 1987, Hungary

Francois Gall – Gáll Ferenc was born in Kolozsvar Hungary (at the time)from where he moved to France. After having Aurel Popp for the first master, he studied art at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts – Workshop Coromaldi in Rome before joining the Collegium Hungaricum (equivalent to Villa Medici), then travel to Europe through Scholarship to study obtained for his talents as a sculptor, ceramicist, designer, painter and portraitist already large, including Roman and Hungarian families, bystanders and onlookers, friends, musicians, singers, street scenes of markets and caravans circuses street. The first exhibition of his work was organized by his hometown in 1932, the second to the Gallery Moderna in Rome, where he presents his many social issues. Arriving in Paris in 1936, he enrolled at the Fine Arts (workshops Charles Guerin and Andrew Devambez), meet other artists such as Christian Bérard, Othon Friesz, André Derain and Pablo Picasso, is befriended fishermen Seine, the booksellers who help to learn French through versifications Victor Hugo Gavillon the family with whom he exchanges breads and cakes against tables, their daughter Nadine – who has the reputation of the House Dalloyau around the world – is on one of them in a pram between Samaritan and Belle Jardinière. Happy in this free country dreamed, he walks Paris Montmartre to Montparnasse, through the docks and the Grands Boulevards, in search of new subjects. This is the animation of the Parisian life that he will present the summer of 1937 to Szalmasy Gallery in Budapest. Success is complete! Back to Paris in 1938, Ferenc Gall receives Honorable Mention for his painting “The Spanish refugees” acquired by the French State. 1939 Silver Medal at the Salon d’Asnieres. Early in 1939 he was recalled to Kolosvàr with his dying father, but he can not return to France, the declaration of war is imminent .. Liberated by the Allies in Wels in Austria, where it is then medical director and caregiver (a moving letter many Jews with typhus demonstrates), it is finally repatriated to Paris, returning to his attic of 16 Dauphine. He resumed his artistic activities, meeting on the banks of the Pont Neuf his bride a young Quercy, Eugenie Chassaing, which will give him three children, three future models: Lize-Marie (1947), Jean-François (1948), Elizabeth – Anne (1956 – year of the Budapest uprising) but will die in 1980 in a serious car accident, leaving the artist destroyed … 1947 – year of the bread crisis – his canvas “bread for the people”, highlight of French Artists “(4000 works and 800 exhibitors) the title of an article in France-Soir , he receives Gold Medal. Commented by Bourdan Pierre, Minister of Youth, Arts and Letters, is reproduced on the cover of all the newspapers and reviews of art. This year was also marked by his participation in a important collective exhibition gallery in Paris Debussy, along with Fernand Léger , Lhote and Lurgat presented by Jean Cassou . This is the Barreiro Gallery François Gall befriends Kisling who wishes to take a picture of this beautiful brunette that is Eugenie, languid on a sofa … but it does ask for her husband, who is now experiencing a growing reputation in Switzerland, England and Scandinavia. 1946, he joined his friend Marco G.de group Free Art “receives the Silver Medal at the French for his canvas” Exodus “that the” Pont Saint Michel fall “in his first solo exhibition in Paris Galerie Alexandre, then” Honfleur “Galerie Saint Philippe du Roule are acquired by State. 1949 good year again, his pride in being finally naturalized French, and get a solo exhibition at the gallery of the Impressionists, Durand-Ruel , where one of his paintings, “The port ‘of Honfleur “is acquired by State. This honor is due to the private secretary of the great gallery owner who discovered the young artist painting in all weathers on the banks of the Seine, Gall was organizing raffles with his sketches for the production of large canvases. Some of them are now found on sale at Christie’s, Sotheby’s. Marlborough Fine Art Gallery in London brings together thirty of his works that are very successful and is warmly welcomed by Dunoyer de Segonzac which follows immediately after exposure. The same gallery will present its 1951 “Landscapes of France” From the beginning of the 1950s traveling exhibitions and multiply throughout France and the world, including Belgium, the USA, where the artist is also slated to play the role of Manet cinema, but his participation in the other exhibitions “prevents” the French Week “in Sweden where he befriends Maurice Chevalier which he made sketches and portraits, Mexico, Israel. Then the ports and beaches to attract, he went there during the school holidays with his family he does ask, before returning home parents Eugenie Martel-en-Quercy and the landscape of the Causses around. Martel, where you can meet Gen Paul and his bicycle. In 1954, Gall family acquired the romantic house with workshop and yard flowered acacia, purchased from the widow of the painter J.Emile Zingg at 8 Villa Brune, in the 14th arrondissement of Paris. In 1961, wanting to replace an older worker on the ladder while hanging paintings in the organization of the Salon des Independants, François Gall suffered a fall of several meters Grand Palais and remains paralyzed in a plaster shell for more than a year. Participating each year in Paris at the Salon of Painters witness to its time, the price Francis Smith he was awarded in 1963, the Galliera Museum . This enables him to make a study tour to Portugal, he comes back amazed and a rich amount of bright and colorful paintings, exhibited at the Casa Portugal to Paris. Artist increasingly recognized, François Gall became laureate of the Institut de France and his works are subject, in the late 1960s, prestigious exhibitions in France and abroad. They took him to Italy, Rome, Florence, Venice, Germany, Switzerland, where he has a permanent exhibition in Bern and Neuchâtel Bevaix and Corsica, Austria, Spain, Russia, Canada at the Dominion Gallery Max Stern, which discovered the first fake paintings of the artist from Eastern Europe, including Romania. Recognized portraitist, he worked among other portraits, that of his muse Edith Piaf, Marielle Goetschel, France Gall, Roland Dorgelès exhibited at the Salon des Independants and acquired by the French State. On opening night, he made to the public a new portrait of the writer, but charcoal. Over the years, he became the friend and avid reader. Officer in the Order of Arts and Letters, member of several boards, including that of artists in the Ministry of Culture and director of the ADAGP there is no expense for the cause of artists in various associations and humanistic activities.

The works of François Gall, exhibited in Paris at Durand Ruel, Bernheim – Young, Andrew Weil, René Duckermann Foundation Wally Findlay, in the province in Deauville, Trouville, the Attic Salt Honfleur, La Rochelle, Bordeaux, Arcachon, Nice, Cannes etc. … are also visible in Embassies, Ministries, Museums major capitals. Elected vice-president of the Society of Independent Artists in 1977, he became president of the National Union of painters and sculptors professional in 1987. Year of his death, the “House of Artists” Berryer street in Paris, where he waited in vain to serve on a committee … he was behind the door, broken by a 3rd heart attack. The artist, whose popularity rises quietly unpretentious, painted almost every subject, from the dark palette of social subjects, crucifixions and war, bright palette bridges of paris for all time, little known under the snow, landscapes, market scenes, harbors and beaches, maternity naked woman or toilet (his) family, the hairdresser, women coffee, dancers, Seine, streets, boulevards, scenes races, rustic bouquets to fruit bowls. Few animals are always embedded in a landscape, like a musical note: the white horse and sleigh, the dog of the Rigo family, cows near Honfleur, the cat sitting near the flowers All subjects so across France and Europe, except for fish, birds, much less dead animals as he loved life! Among the many criticisms of Art devoted to the works of François Gall, are particular comment Maximilien Gauthier in The Literary News March 29, 1962, “the Luxembourg gardens, terraces of coffee, his balls resonate July 14, while living the charm of Paris, “that ‘s André Weber in The Amateur Art April 10, 1964. “Point riot of color, no tonitruance, but a balanced sweet and harmonious concerto with nuances, subtleties, the preciousness palette, an incredible short refinement. From the very good and excellent painting watercolors “that Israel Daniel-Mayer” from what we called the “Painters Witnesses of their Time” François Gall particularly attractive distinguished by the delicacy of his paintings. ” (Arts – August 1963) Monographs: François Gall Robert Vrinat – Collection “Artists” – 1953.

His daughter, Marie-Lize, as evidenced by a nice photo of 1949 already showed the visitors with the violets that had just given him the gallery owner Charles Durand Ruel, in whose arms she was, her father’s paintings. She now works in the constitution of the Catalogue Raisonné of the painted work with her daughter Estelle and François Gall Committee established in 1989 by Enrique Mayer, founder of the renowned Mayer directory. He helped stop the fake paintings which nevertheless continue to flood the market. Passionate about art and craft, daughter and granddaughter of artists craftsmen, it is the Ministry of Economy, Finance and Budget, project manager jobs in Art and Living Heritage Companies, President Club and Literary History, General Secretary of the National Salon-subsidized. Author of a book of poetry “Shards of Dreams and Go” on behalf of Publisher – Dekaedre-Findakly, she is president of the Association Books Life Association of Painters and Sculptors Witnesses the 14th arrondissement of Paris, honored with the Silver Medal of the City of Paris, Knight in the Order of Arts and Letters, Knight of the Order of Academic Palms.