Rare Plate Painted By René Besset – 1952

RARE PLATE PAINTED BY RENÉ BESSET – 1952
"TONUS DES POSSIBLES" – LYON-BASED PAINTER
A rare ceramic plate hand-painted by René Besset (1900–1980), a French painter born in Lyon who was active notably in Paris.
Dated 1952 and signed by René Besset, the plate features an elegant female figure in the center, painted in the artist's characteristic style. It also bears the inscription:
"Ah! How happy our fathers were when they were at the table!"
"TONUS DES POSSIBLES"
1952
This piece is particularly interesting due to its connection to René Besset’s artistic and cultural world. He is notably documented as having created decorative paintings on the doors and walls of *salles de garde* (traditional hospital interns' mess halls), illustrating songs and traditions specific to that milieu.
René Besset was also a member of the *Académie Rabelais*, a circle bringing together figures from the artistic, literary, and gastronomic worlds.
About René Besset
Born in Lyon in 1900, René Besset entered the School of Fine Arts in Lyon in 1915. After his military service, he traveled to Italy in 1928 with the painter Pierre Pelloux before settling in Paris. He notably participated in exhibitions by the *Groupe des Nouveaux* and the *Salon des Indépendants* in the late 1920s.
His body of work includes portraits, nudes, landscapes, and scenes of daily life, reflecting a career that bridged the Lyon school and the Parisian art scene.
An original and uncommon piece
This plate is an original decorative work, sitting at the intersection of painting, collector's item, and a testament to the culture of 20th-century *salles de garde*.
The 1952 date, René Besset’s signature, and the inscriptions significantly enhance its documentary and artistic value. René Besset (1900–1980)
Painted plate, signed and dated 1952
Inscription: "Ah! How happy our fathers were when they were at the table!" – Tonus des possibles.