Gilbert Galland (1870–1950) *the Flower-adorned Pavilion*

Did you say light?
That is the true subject of this painting and this pavilion.
The contrast between the creamy white sunlit areas and the blue-violet shadows on the ground creates a very convincing sense ofmidday sun.
The colorful shadows—never black—are reminiscent ofthe Impressionists.
A beautiful texture applied with a palette knife and brush, generous and lively, particularly in the tree’s foliage,where blue-greens mingle with yellows and ochres, and the red accents of the flowers pop against the green of the leaves.
The work is presented in a modern black shadow box framemeasuring 69 cm by 54 cm, with the painting itself measuring 64.5 cm by 48 cm.
It depicts the garden of a Mediterranean villa bathed in lightand a stone staircase flanked by balusters, beds of geraniums, andred rose bushes.
The impasto applied with a palette knife and brush is generous and lively, particularlyin the tree’s foliage, where greens mingle with yellows and ochres.
A pleasant, spontaneous work in the tradition ofPost-Impressionist plein air painting that feels like a study from life completed in a studio and thatfocuses above all on light, color, and texture.
In good condition, it is signed in the lower right corner.

Paul Numa Gilbert Galland was born on February 25, 1870 in Lyon 5th, and died on August 14, 1950 in Saint-Eugène (today Bologhine in Algeria)
In Algiers, in 1889 Gilbert Galland was the student of Hippolyte Dubois, painter from Nantes, director of the Fine Arts of Algiers from 1885 to 1909.
He likes to paint boats, ports and scenes of life. With his teacher, he was one of the founders of the Society of Algerian Orientalist Artists in 1897.
He exhibited at the Society of Fine Arts of Algiers and also in Paris, where he presented watercolors: views of Brittany, Marseille , the Far East and Algeria.
He is a friend of Gabriel Darbeda, architect and professor at the School of Fine Arts in Algiers.
Gilbert Galland was appointed painter of the Navy in 1900.
The same year, he participated in the decoration of the restaurant Le Train bleu at the Gare de Lyon in Paris with La Vallée du Rummel for the Tunisian salon, and Vue d'Alger for the salon Algerian.
With Maxime Noiré, he went to Bou-Saâda, an oasis town nicknamed “The City of Happiness” or “Gate of the Desert”, in order to record the views to prepare the Algerian diorama for the Universal Exhibition of 1900.
He painted also views of Jerusalem and will decorate numerous liners for shipping companies.
He will guide the first steps of an artist like Jacques Gatti.
Gilbert Galland received the Academic Palms in 1901.

Works in public collections
Paris, Gare de Lyon, Le Train bleu restaurant: murals.
Salons
Salon of the Society of Fine Arts of Algiers
Salon of French artists in Paris 1911:
Salon d'Automne in Lyon Exhibitions Universal Exhibition of 1900