Bernard Lamotte (French/New York, 1903-1983)

Bernard Lamotte (French/New York, 1903-1983) , "Rue des Saules", oil on canvas, signed lower left, initialed, titled, artist stamp, inscribed "N = 19" and "20 P" en verso, artist stamp on stretcher, inventory number "30667" and "Meredith Long & Company, Houston, TX" labels with artist and title on backing board, 21 3/8 in. x 28 7/8 in., framed. Provenance: Meredith Long & Company, Houston, TX; Estate of James H. Stone, New Orleans, LA. Note: French-born Bernard Lamotte attended the prestigious Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris and studied under Fernandes-Anne-Piestre Cormon and Lucien Simon. He eventually emigrated from France to New York, which would become his permanent residence. His studio above the famous La Grenouille restaurant was a popular Bohemian haven. There, the gregarious Frenchman would entertain his impressive group of friends, which included all types of creative and intellectual characters such as Marlene Dietrich, Greta Garbo, Charlie Chaplin and Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, who wrote Le Petit Prince in Lamotte’s studio in the early 1940s. Lamotte experienced great success during his lifetime and was even commissioned by President John F. Kennedy’s father to paint a mural for the White House pool. Lamotte would frequently travel back to France to gain inspiration from the quotidian moments of Paris and the French countryside, themes well conveyed in his canvases on offer here. In this work, Lamotte captures the movement and energy of rue des Saules, a busy street in Montmartre. Ref.: Bernard Lamotte (1900-1983): Everyday Inspirations. Boston: Vose Galleries, 2006 Dimensions: