Gaston Suisse (1896 - 1988) — Cormorant In The Storm, 1930

Cormorant in the Storm, 1930
Pencil and oil pastel on paper, signed and dated 1930 lower right.
80 x 58 cm

From the Orient to Art Deco: the aesthetic journey of GastonSuisse

Painter, draftsman, lacquer artist and emblematic figure of Art Deco, GastonSuisse was born in Paris in an environment conducive to artistic awakening. His father, a passionate collector of Asian art and Art Nouveau, introduced him from childhood to oriental aesthetics and the animal world. It was at the Jardin des Plantes that he discovered animals, which he would observe throughout his life with rigor and fascination. There he also had a decisive encounter with Paul Jouve, master of animal art. Trained at the École des Arts Décoratifs, he specialized in the art of lacquer, a technique that would become his signature. From his earliest works, he was acclaimed by critics and received distinctions, including a gold medal before he was even 18. The war did not interrupt his creativity: mobilized, he continued to draw from the front and sent his works to Paris. Upon his return, he threw himself fully into research and experimentation around lacquer, mixing traditional Asian know-how and technical innovations. Gaston Suisse perfected his formulas, invented new processes — including a famous red lacquer inspired by "ox blood" — and introduced precious materials into his works: eggshells, gold leaf, synthetic varnishes. His style is characterized by a great purity of line, a progressive geometricization of forms and a composition often influenced by abstraction. A complete artist, he collaborated with the greatest names in decoration: he created panels, boxes, fabrics, stained glass, furniture and sets for the Paris Opera, Hermès, and the Comédie Française. He participated in numerous international exhibitions and won several prestigious prizes, notably at the Colonial Exhibition of 1931 and the International Exhibition of 1937, where he created a monumental set for the Palais de Tokyo. After the Second World War - during which he was taken prisoner and then escaped - Gaston Suisse resumed his work with fervor. He exhibited regularly, notably at the Salon d'Automne and the Salon des Artistes Animaliers. Alongside his finished pieces, he left a rich body of work including drawings, sketches and animal studies of great precision. Until his death in 1988, the artist rigorously continued his exploration of life and matter. His works, as technical as they are elegant, are now held in major French and international institutions: the Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, the Musée des Années Trente in Boulogne, and the Dallas Museum of Art.

Discover more of this artist's works on the gallery's website: https://www.galeriepentcheff.fr/fr/peintre-gaston-suisse#Oeuvres