Albert Coste (1895-1985), Still Life With Bust, Pastel Signed On The Right, 51, Framed.

Albert Coste was first introduced to music by his musician mother. In 1909, he attended the Fine Arts School in Marseille and the Conservatory of Music. A tram accident in 1916 forced him to have his index and middle fingers amputated on his left hand. He was permanently discharged, and his career as a cellist was compromised. From then on, he devoted himself more specifically to painting and continued his studies in Paris in Cormon's studio. From 1920, he participated in numerous group exhibitions and Salons in Paris and Aix-en-Provence, met Maurice Denis and frequented his studio. With the latter, he created the frescoes for the Thonon chapel. In 1922, he settled near Aix while continuing to participate in the main group exhibitions in Paris (Indépendants, Réalités Nouvelles, Salon d'Automne, etc.). In 1933, in Aix-en-Provence, the artist held his first solo exhibition, presented by Maurice Denis. In 1935, he was appointed professor at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Aix-en-Provence. In 1941/1942, he met Albert Gleizes in Saint Rémy de Provence and remained closely linked to him until his death. Gleizes notably presented the exhibition he held of his works in 1942 in Aix. From 1953 to 1956, he organized exhibitions to promote the work of Gleizes and his disciples. He created numerous decorations for public buildings, particularly the Faculty of Law in Aix, whose architect was Fernand Pouillon. Albert Coste participated in a group exhibition with Gleizes, Delaunay, Villon, Herbin, Léger and in 1967 with Calder, Masson, Messagier. Initially painting still lifes and various subjects in a spirit close to Gauguin and the Nabis, he then embarked on the path of abstraction, with compositions very close to Gleizes, then in accordance with his general spirit of post-war French abstraction, around Bissière, Manessier, Lapicque. His works are now preserved at the Albert Gleizes Foundation in Paris, at the Longchamp Museum in Marseille, at the Réattu Museum in Arles, at the Musée de la Ville de Carpentras, ...