André Brasilier in London

in London
1

in London
19 October - 9 November 2018

Preface
Opera Gallery London is proud to present the latest
exhibition of works from French master André Brasilier.
The busy and bustling city provides an interesting
counter point to the peaceful and harmonious scenes
that Brasilier depicts in his art. A selection of twentyeight
paintings will take us into the realm of lyrical
romance populated by spirited horses sprinting across
the shoreline, enchanted forests covered by candied
snowfall and pensive women by moonlight.
Opera Gallery London is delighted to present the work of André Brasilier.
The product of a life and a career permeated by the sacredness of art, his
firm spiritual belief in a superior order, an unlimited love for his wife and
the harmony between nature and her creations. Brasilier’s paintings allow
us to contemplate a golden moment. A dream, a delicate reverie, a moment
of lyricism for the eyes and for the soul to escape in to.
An instant’s diversion from the frenetically paced, iron and steel city.
The apparent simplicity with which Brasilier composes
his visionary dioramas is extraordinary: with only a
few brush strokes he captures the sensual silhouette
of a woman in thought or the noble features of a
horse in motion. The artist has developed this unique
style over a seventy-year-long career, inspired by the
Expressionist and Fauvist movements.
Gilles Dyan
Chairman and Founder, Opera Gallery Group
Sébastien Plantin
Director, Opera Gallery London
Major retrospectives of his work have been held at the Musée Picasso-Château Grimaldi in
Antibes and at the State Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg.
Through Brasilier’s paintings, we can immerse ourselves in a timeless and fleeting moment, in
which human beings live in celebrated harmony with nature, where men and women are bound
by devotion to one another, and in which time passes gently and slowly like the rivers that flow
in his paintings.
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‘And to end, by constantly stripping away the superfluous, I
think I have found something more accurate, more complete.
My only aspiration is to say things simply’.
André Brasilier
Everything is more immediate. Remorselessly, he grasps a vision, at the very instant
that it is born. The composition is barely sketched, the lines are sometimes trembling or
uncertain, the touch is evanescent. There are drips and splotches. One could almost say it
is perfectly imperfect. Here, the strength lies in the absence of affectation or a deliberate
style. It is the art of renouncing to seek his own truth as if, at last, he had fully accepted
who he is, neither adding nor subtracting anything.
On the artist’s latest works
When asked about his roots and his origins, there are three essential elements André
Brasilier unfailingly mentions: his birth in the Anjou-Touraine region, the land of Du
Bellay and Ronsard, his life in the Ile-de-France, home to La Fontaine and Claudel
and then the way he learned his profession by studying the French painters: Poussin,
Watteau, Delacroix, Matisse, and Rouault. He also underscores the importance of his
family inheritance, particularly his father’s legacy: ‘Today I understand better that I am still
deeply influenced by my father’s origins. He was a member of the Rosicrucian order, or to
be more precise he was very attached to the symbolist school of the late 19 th and early 20 th
centuries. It was a spiritual world. I was marked by that and I think it appears in my work.’
On this subject, he defines himself as a Christian: ‘a poor Christian, no doubt, but a
Christian with conviction. I have no doubts or hesitations. I have always had the conviction,
the certainty of being born in the truth that my parents inculcated in me, and it only
increases over time. The words of the Bible nourish me. And I feel like a sinner. A sinner,
but with convictions. I have no fear of death’. He just hopes, he adds, that there will be
paint brushes and colours there, on the other side. He is quite unique, to say the least, as
today, few artists define themselves in this way: a native land and a religion, reinforced by
a spiritual aspiration.
As for his artistic credo, it has remained unchanged over sixty years of painting: more than
figuration, painting is an act of transfiguration. Hence his refusal of any kind of realism.
Very early on, he adopted Gauguin’s phrase: ‘One should not paint reality but what
seems real’. The greatest challenge, according to him, is to successfully capture the
human face, whether reduced to an anonymous silhouette or the portrait of Chantal, his
lifelong companion.
The apparent simplicity of his work is the result of a paring down towards ever-greater
frugality. And today the artist seems to have managed to do away with his own past, to
surpass the limits of his range of skills, as he leaves more room for accidents and renounces
the idea of ‘doing things well’. Instead he just does.
The notions of fashion or a period are completely absent. It is just a struggle with
oneself and painting, like Jacob fighting the angel.
Chromatic sonatas, enchanting visions, an ode to Life. Those familiar with the artist’s
work will not be disoriented. His favourite themes are present, with Chantal, of course in
first place (I married my muse, he says), as well as sumptuous nature landscapes (idyllic
countryside or vast open spaces by the sea) horses, music, moonlight, still or running
water. The works are virile, fiery yet delicate.
The artist really sees the world just as he becomes aware of its imminent disappearance.
David Rosenberg
Paris, August 2018
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Keywords to André Brasilier’s Work
Art
Without exaggeration, André Brasilier lives surrounded by art and artworks. Coming from
a family of artists, the painter has dedicated seventy years to painting and lives surrounded
by it, be that sculptures or books on masterpieces.
Brush
“Velázquez said that painting should be done with large brushes. That’s how I work. The
emotion contained in a colour is expressed by this generosity, by expressing without
restrains. ” – André Brasilier
Chantal
“She is a constant source of inspiration. She has allowed me to penetrate the world’s many
nuances.” says Brasilier about his wife and muse Chantal. We find her allure throughout
his work.
Dancing
“I was immediately fascinated by Tango. I don’t dance but I love the music: the rhythms, the
sudden violence of the bodies. Women dropping suddenly to their knees. A dance of such
superb contrasts and violent extremes…exhilarating.”
Loupeigne
The country house in Loupeigne, as well as the one in which the artist grew up in during
his childhood, in Ménil-Vicomte, are places for meditation and reflection. The artist
lives in Paris, but there is a special place in his heart for the rustling of tree leaves and
rolling meadows.
Music
“Everything is beautiful in music, the discipline of the orchestra, the harmony of a
quartet.” Indeed, music is a reoccurring theme in the artist’s work where colours and
melody blend together.
Nature
“As for nature, I’ve always liked landscapes, pastoral scenes. I remember my first impressions
of rural scenes, like oxen pulling a plough...” It is the backdrop against which Brasilier
weaves many of his lyric representations.
Pompadour
André Brasilier spent three years decorating an ancient chapel in Pompadour that was
inaugurated in 2008.
Figure
Just one touch, one stroke, the sketch of just one shape surfaced to breathe life into
his characters. André Brasilier believes in the importance of representing figures for the
practice of painters.
French tradition
“I learned how to paint studying French painters: Poussin, Watteau, Delacroix, Matisse,
Rouault. Simply put, this is where my roots are.” And the French artist continues to work
in this great tradition.
Horses
Man’s fascination with horses goes back to the dawn of time. Horses have been an object
of admiration since men lived in grottos. They are depicted with spirit and energy in many
of Brasilier’s impressive painting, expressing a sensation of strength and liberty.
Influences
“Being who you really are is the real difficulty. If you look at my first few paintings and compare
them to what I’m doing today, you won’t see any clear-cut break. You’ll see evolution,
sure, but no rupture. Of course, I grew thanks to my encounters with other artists and their
work. Pollock comes to mind, for example, even though he seems light years away from
my style. I also think of Picasso, Rouault. Each one taught me something. But that doesn’t
mean they transformed my work. Enriched my own, personal vision of art and life, oui.”
Brasilier states. “That’s also why I’m so grateful to the Grand Masters who went before us
and who left us such powerful works of art; they actually help us continue on.”
Chapel interior, Sainte-Blaise, Arnac-Pompadour
Rome
In 1953, aged only 23, Brasilier won the Premier Grand Prix de Rome of painting. Like
Ingres and Fragonard before him, the young painter studied in Villa Medici and traveled
extensively in Europe.
Spirituality
André Brasilier is a devoted Christian. The peace and serenity his faith inspire in him
transpire in the works he creates.
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Recent works
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‘For me, one can measure the importance of a painter
by his or her ability to portray the human form.’
André Brasilier
12 13

Promenade d’hiver, 2018
Oil on canvas
130 x 89 cm - 51.2 x 35 in
Le Manteau afghan, 2017-2018
Oil on canvas
130 x 89 cm - 51.2 x 35 in
14 15

Bouquet d’anniversaire, 2018
Oil on canvas
162 x 97 cm - 63.8 x 38.2 in
16 17

La grande baigneuse, 2018
Oil on canvas
162 x 114 cm - 63.8 x 44.9 in
Soir d’été, 2018
Oil on canvas
146 x 97 cm - 57.5 x 38.2 in
18 19

Bientôt la nuit, 2018
Oil on canvas
162 x 114 cm - 63.8 x 44.9 in
Next page:
La Nuit, 2018
Oil on canvas
130 x 195 cm - 51.2 x 76.8 in
20 21

22 23

La Chambre rose, 2018
Oil on canvas
89 x 146 cm - 35 x 57.5 in
24 25

‘I really like this animal, as much for its beauty
as for the harmony that it has with nature.’
André Brasilier
26 27

Cavalcade autour du parc, 2018
Oil on canvas
130 x 195 cm - 51.2 x 76.8 in
Vincennes sous la neige, 2018
Oil on canvas
89 x 146 cm - 35 x 57.5 in
28 29

Grande Fantasia Marocaine, 2018
Oil on canvas
165 x 205 cm - 65 x 80.7 in
30 31

Cavalcade d’automne, 2018
Oil on canvas
97 x 146 cm - 38.2 x 57.5 in
Rivage bleu, 2018
Oil on canvas
89 x 146 cm - 35 x 57.5 in
32 33

Plages des Flandres, 2018
Oil on canvas
100 x 73 cm - 39.4 x 28.7 in
34 35

Cavaliers sur la neige, 2018
Oil on canvas
61 x 38 cm - 24 x 15 in
L’Heure où les chevaux vont boire, 2017
Oil on canvas
73 x 100 cm - 28.7 x 39.4 in
36 37

‘Poetry, Music and Painting: all spring from the same source
of emotions that have penetrated both heart and soul.’
André Brasilier
38 39

Musique sacrée, 2018
Oil on canvas
54 x 73 cm - 21.3 x 28.7 in
40 41

Hommage à Scott Joplin, 2017
Oil on canvas
92 x 60 cm - 36.2 x 23.6 in
42 43

Musique aux Invalides, 2018
Oil on canvas
89 x 130 cm - 35 x 51.2 in
44 45

Le Kremlin, 2008
Oil on canvas
130 x 81 cm - 51.2 x 31.9 in
46 47

Another reoccurring subject of Brasilier is the horse, which he has admired and loved since
he was a little boy. Set against the most simplistic and romantic backgrounds, the artist
effortlessly transports us into surreal landscapes, lightening the soul with dreamy
infusions of figures set in modest hues of colour, shape and form. In an intimate communion
with nature, Brasilier draws his inspiration from its language, sounds and colours,
reminding us of a natural beauty untouched by daily trivialities and events. Brasilier’s
paintings depict a peaceful, comfortable world, free from care, in a very simple, stylish
manner, with delicate harmonies bathed in accommodating sunlight.
Brasilier had his first retrospective of one hundred artworks from 1950-1980 at the
Château de Chenonceau in 1980 and a retrospective exhibition at the Musée
Picasso-Château Grimaldi in Antibes, the French Riviera, in 1988. He has since been
honoured with major retrospectives both at Russia’s renowned State Hermitage Museum
in Saint Petersburg in 2005 and at the Museum Haus Ludwig für Kunstausstellungen
Saarlois in Germany in 2007.
The artist’s palette
andré brasilier (b. 1929)
André Brasilier was born into an artistic family in Saumur, France in 1929. Possessing
a natural inclination for painting at an early age, he went to Paris to study at the École
de Beaux-Arts when he was twenty years old. In 1952, Brasilier received a grant from
the Florence Blumenthal Foundation. The following year, when he was only 23, Brasilier
won the Premier Grand Prix de Rome which entitled him to study at the Académie
de France in Rome. He lived at the Villa Medici from 1954 to 1957. He also received
the Prix Charles-Morellet at the Salon de la Jeune Peinture in 1961 and the Prix de
Villeneuve-sur-Lot in 1962.
While Brasilier’s works reflect the influences of Expressionist artists and Japanese prints,
he has retained a personal style of schematised nature and imagery that makes him
an anomaly in the contemporary zeitgeist. His subdued paintings often feature themes
and motifs of horses, nature, music and women, provocative in their timelessness and
emotional subjectivity. One of Brasilier’s main subjects included his wife, the muse he
has loved his entire life and that he depicts as his constant source of inspiration.
The artist’s studio
48 49

CHRONOLOGY
1929 Born in Saumur, in Anjou, France
1949 École Nationale des Beaux-Arts, Paris, France
1952 Wins the Florence Blumenthal Prize
1953 Wins Premier Grand Prix de Rome of Painting Award
1954 Stay at Villa Medici, Rome, Italy
1957 Travels around the world
1959 First lithography in Mourlot’s workshop, advised by Jacques Sorlier
First exhibition in Paris, on the theme of music, Galerie Drouet, Paris, France
1960 First exhibition at the Galerie Weil, Paris, France
Wins Villeneuve-sur-Lot Award
1962 David B. Findlay Galleries, New York, USA
1963 David B. Findlay Galleries, New York, USA
1964 Galerie Weil, Paris, France
1969 First exhibition at Galerie de Paris, Paris, France
First exhibition at Yoshii Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
Centre Gildas Fardel, Nantes Museum, Nantes, France
1971 Arte Gallery, Caracas, Venezuela
David B. Findlay Galleries, New York, USA
1972 Galerie de Paris, Paris, France
1974 Exhibition of lithographs and tapestries, Galerie Vision Nouvelle, Paris, France
Yoshii Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
1976 Galerie de Paris, Paris, France
1979 Galerie Matignon, Paris, France
1980 First retrospective (1950-1980), 100 artworks at the Château de Chenonceau,
Chenonceau, France
1983 Exhibition of watercolours, Galerie des Chaudronniers, Geneva, Switzerland
Nichido Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
1985 Exhibition at Hammer Gallery, New York, USA
Decors and costumes for Ciboulette, a Reynaldo Hahn play, staged by Pierre Jourdan
50 51

1987 Mosaic work (15 x 3 m), Vence, France
1988 Buschlen Mowatt Galleries, Vancouver, Canada
Retrospective exhibition at the Musée Picasso-Château Grimaldi, Antibes, France
Receives the Médaille de Vermeil distinction, granted by the Ville de Paris, France
Galerie Hopkins-Thomas, Paris, France
1989 Hommage à André Brasilier, Angers, France
Receives the Chevalet d’or dinstinction
1990 Nichido Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
1991 Publication of Harmonies, an album of 10 lithographs (text by Yann le Pichon) presented
at Drouot Montaigne, Paris, France
1992 Publication of the Catalogue raisonné des lithographies, Éditions Callithos
André Brasilier à Bagatelle: retrospective exhibition organised by Didier Jumaux
Partenaires, Mairie de Paris, Paris, France
1993 Château de Sédières, Clergoux, France
1994 Musée des Beaux-Arts, Palais Carnolés, Menton, France
1995 Nichido Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
Ceramics exhibition, Galerie Landrot, Paris, France
Arsenal de Metz, Metz, France
Paintings exhibition, Galerie Bac Saint-Germain, Paris, France
Exhibition of watercolours, Buschlen Mowatt Galleries, Vancouver, Canada
1996 Soufer Gallery, New York, USA
Château de Vascoeuil, Vascoeuil, France
Permanent exhibition, Galerie Bac Saint-Germain, Paris, France
1997 Nichido Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
Exhibition in Verden, Germany
1998 Printemps Ginza, Tokyo, Japan
1999 Exhibition of watercolours, Galerie Nichido, Paris, France
Kunsthaus Bühler Gallery, Stuttgart, Germany
Garden Gallery, Nice, France
Les Salles du Palais Gallery, Geneva, Switzerland
2002 Mitsukoshi department store, Nihonbashi, Tokyo, Japan
2003 Publication of the Catalogue raisonné of paintings 1982-2002, Éditions Acatos
2004 Mainau Castle, Constance Lake, Germany
2005 Galerie Schüller, Munich, Germany
Exhibition of watercolours, Galerie Barès, Paris, France
Retrospective at The State Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg, Russia
2006 Retrospective at Espace des Arts, Paris, France
2007 Retrospective in five cities in Japan, Tokyo, Nagoya, Niigata, Sapporo, Fukuoka
André Brasilier chez La Fontaine, Jean de La Fontaine Museum, Château-Thierry, France
E.J. van Wisselingh & Co, Haarlem, The Netherlands
Museum Haus Ludwig für Kunstausstellungen Saarlouis, March, Saarlouis, Germany
2008 Inaugural ceremony for the Chapel of Saint-Blaise, Pompadour, France
Etchings-Illustrated books, Bibliothèque Louis Nucéra, Nice, France
2009 Travelling exhibition in Japan: Tokyo, Sendai, Nagoya, Fukuoka
2010 Gallery Artbank, Seoul, Korea
Château de Chenonceau, Chenonceau, France
2011 Moulins Albigeois, Albi, France
2012 Opera Gallery, Hong Kong
2013 Opera Gallery, London, UK
2014 Opera Gallery, Geneva, Switzerland
André Brasilier & Auguste Rodin, Opera Gallery, Singapore
2015 Roaming in Nature, Opera Gallery, Seoul, Korea
André Brasilier & Mauro Corda, Opera Gallery, Dubai, UAE
On Idle Shores, Opera Gallery, Hong Kong
2016 Arabesque, Opera Gallery, Beirut, Lebanon
Opera Gallery, Paris, France
2017 André Brasilier in New York, New York, USA
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Published by Opera Gallery to coincide with the exhibition André Brasilier in London, October
to November 2018, London.
All rights reserved. Except for the purposes of review, no part of this book may be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers.
Acknowledgements
The artist would like to address his special thanks to his son Alexis and his wife Chantal, to
Gilles and Florence Dyan, and to all his devoted collectors without whom this adventure would
not have been possible.
Cover: Grande Fantasia Marocaine, 2018
Designer: Laurent Aidenbaum
Coordinator: Lou Mo
Writers: David Rosenberg, Lou Mo, Federica Beretta
Translator: Renuka George
Printer: St Austell Printing Company
134 New Bond Street, London W1S TF
+ 44 (0)207 491 2999 | london@operagallery.com operagallery.com