Eugène Galien-Laloue Paintings |
Eugène Galien-Laloue Paintings
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Eugène Galien-Laloue BiographyFrench Academic painterborn 1854 - died 1941 Also known as: Eugène Gallien-Laloue. |
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Watching his father's painting,
he became interested in art when he was
very young and, except for a brief period
spent in the army, Eugène Galien-Laloue never went anywhere
without his brushes and paints. Life without
painting was not worth living as far as
he was concerned. He lived for his art only and
after breaking his arm in 1940 while being
evacuated to Bordeaux, and not being able to
paint any more, he died a few months later
at the age of 87. |
His favourite subjects, however, were always scenes of life in Paris. He used to sketch out in the streets and the architectural details were always accurate, and in fact more important than the human component. Eugène Galien-Laloue would usually finish his paintings in the studio and recreate the atmosphere captured in the sketch but sometimes incorporating his family and friends into the pictures. | |||||||
His talent was appreciated by his
contemporaries (unlike the Impressionists
who were only recognised towards the ends of
their lives or even after their deaths).
He was popular and Eugène Galien-Laloue paintings sold
very well. He was loved not only by the
French, but also by the American and British
collectors. Paris at the beginning of the
20th century was the centre of the universe
for Laloue - the most beautiful place on
Earth. Those who agreed with him, those who
visited Paris and fell in love with its
atmosphere, enjoyed possessing his paintings
so that they could be transported back in
their imaginations to the wonderful time
they had spent. His nostalgic, meticulous
paintings appeal even nowadays, as most of
the background details still exist and can
be recognized while walking around the
streets, boulevards and the quays of the
city. Paris is to this day just as hectic
and just as beautiful, and life life goes on
as before - only the fashions have changed. Obsessive about his painting - his only interest - in his private life Eugène Galien-Laloue craved simplicity: he outlived three wives, all sisters, who had been his neighbors next door! Nor did he seek fame or academic recognition, sold Eugène Galien-Laloue painting only to make a living, always asking for payment in advance so as not to complicate matters, and he had contracts with several art dealers to ensure a secure income for himself. However, he never overpriced Eugène Galien-Laloue painting, always charging the same amount of about five thousand francs in today's money. |
Laloue had four children, two of whom died at an early age. His daughter, Flore, from his second marriage was a pianist. Eugène Galien-Laloue was an unsociable and difficult man and only trusted her - and indeed she was the only member of his family who seemed able to tolerate his obsessions. Eventually she ran his whole life for him, buying all his supplies and organizing his professional arrangements. After being widowed for the third time, Eugène Galien-Laloue went to live with Flore at her Paris home. There he worked unceasingly, only stopping to eat and always on his own. He dies 8 years later at Flore's country house in Chérence. He worked under many pseudoynyms, possibly for contractual reasons. The three most frequent names in which he signed, in addition to his own, were "J Lievin", "E Galiany" and "L Dupuy". |
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