Fontainebleau Fine Art

FONTAN, L̩o French (1884 - 1965) "The Red Wide-Brimmed Hat" May 1917

"The Red Wide-Brimmed Hat "1917

Signed L̩o Fontan lower right, located and dated on the back

Nice (French Riviera) Mai 1917

Pencil sketch on the back of the panel

 Oil on mahogany panel Excellent condition

13  x 10 (35 x 26cm)

19 x 16 (framed ) (49 x 41cm)

Beautiful original, hand-carved solid wood French frame

L̩o Fontan was academically trained at the L'Ecole Sup̩rieure des Beaux-Arts in Tours (center of France) from 1900 to 1903 under the tutelage of F̩lix Laurent and Courault; then was admitted to the prestigious L'Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris in April 1903. Fontan studied in the studios of the masters L̩on Bonnat in 1906 then Luc-Olivier Merson in 1907 and Fernand Cormon in 1913. Fontan was chosen to participate at the highly-competitive Grand Prix de Rome in 1909.

The artist was awarded the Bonnat former students' prize in 1936.

Established in Paris as a painter of figures, portraits, genre scenes, decorative panels as well as a watercolorist, pastellist, illustrator and designer, Fontan exhibited regularly at the Salon des Artistes Fran̤ais of which he became an associate member from 1911 to 1946. He was awarded a Silver Medal in 1944.

As an illustrator, L̩o Fontan contributed to many newspapers such as La Vie Parisienne, Smile, Fantasio and he drew posters for the famous Parisian cabaret music hall Les Folies Berg̬ere.  The artist, a true Renaissance man, also designed and created furniture and he participated at the 1925 Decorative Arts Exhibition. Fontan is also well known for the decorative panels he created for prestigious sea liners.

The artist was made Officer of the Legion of Honor by the French State and he was awarded several official commissions.

During World War II, he devoted himself to portraits, still lifes and landscapes, dividing his time between Paris, the Touraine region and the French Riviera.

That was the sun-drenched French Riviera, in Nice, the main hotspot for the traveling aristocracy and bourgeoisie which offered such a magnificent background for the depiction of this beautiful lady, the artist's favorite subject matter. In this portrait, the brilliant play with light and shade and the striking backlit effect mastered by Fontan captured the serene feminine beauty and timeless elegance of the subject.

The artist, who had a lifelong commitment to his art, painted until his last day despite a failing eyesight.

• Literature:

- Francis Carco, Comedians, Paul Ollendorff, 1921, "Fontan (Leo)"

- G̩erald Schurr, 1820-1920, Dictionnaire des Petits Mąitres de la Peinture, Paris 1982

- Benezit: Dictionnaire des Peintres, 1999

- Daniel Auliac Leo Fontan, painter, illustrator, decorator, Publibook, 2004

- Davenport's Art Reference Guide, 2007/2008