John Joseph Bellman

Harvesting

Meryl Watts. English ( b.1910 – d.1992 ) Enigma. Oil On Board. Signed Lower Right. Image size 22.4 inches x 19.3 inches ( 57cm x 49cm ). Frame size 26.4 inches x 22.8 inches ( 67cm x 58cm ). Available for sale; this original oil painting is by Meryl Watts and dates from the mid-1960s. The painting is presented and supplied in its’ original hand painted frame (which is shown in these photographs). This vintage painting is in very good condition, commensurate with its age. It wants for nothing and is supplied ready to hang and display. The painting was created whilst Watts resided at 1 Bron Avon, Borth-y-Gest, Porthmadog. (Today’s postcode would be LL49 9TU). The painting is signed lower right. Meryl Watts was born on the 5th April 1910, the only child of Charles and Evelin Watts. They lived in Germains Place, Blackheath and she was raised in east end of London where her father was a printer. She studied at the Blackheath Art School, where the Principal was John Edgar Platt, one of the major artists using the technique of color woodcut. She learned this technique from Platt and was influenced by his style, as shown in the attractive and colorful designs that she subsequently produced. Meryl began to work independently in 1937, producing her own work while still living in Blackheath. During World War II the family home and business were destroyed by German bombing and Meryl and her parents were given just a few hours to collect whatever valuables they could before their house was demolished to protect neighboroughing properties from further damage. As a consequence much of her early work was lost. Having left their home the family evacuated to Portmeirion in Wales, where they had frequently stayed on holiday before the war. They struck up a friendship with the Portmeirion architect and founder, Sir Clough William-Ellis. Portmeirion was founded in 1925 and took nearly fifty years to complete. It was a homage to Sir William-Ellis’ love of the Italian Riviera and incorporated the grounds of a twelfth century castle. The resort became extremely popular with tourists and was the backdrop for various TV programs and films, including The Prisoner. Meryl Watts became artist in residence at Portmeirion, and over the next few years she produced an abundance of artwork including sketches, oil paintings and watercolors of famous scenes from the Snowdonia coastal region and other traditional landmarks. This was a new and very successful chapter of her artistic career. From Portmeirion Meryl and her parents moved to a rented house in Borth-Y-Gest, Caernarvonshire, North Wales. In 1944 Meryl’s father purchased the house and Meryl began to work there, using the endless views in the area for her inspiration. After the death of her father in 1957 and her mother in 1969 Meryl lived alone in Borth-y-Gest until she married Professor Joseph Allen...

Alice Anne Renshaw. English ( b.1849 - d.1900 ). Young Lady With Meadow Flowers In Her Straw Hat. Watercolor & Gouache On Artist's Board. ( An embossed stamp in the top left hand corner reads 'Turnbull’s Superfine London Board' ) . Signed Lower Left. Image size 21.3 inches x 16.7 inches ( 54cm x 42.5cm ). Frame size 29.9 inches x 25.6 inches ( 76cm x 65cm ). Available for sale; this original painting is by Alice Anne Renshaw and dates from around 1880. The painting is presented and supplied in its original highly ornate...

Follower of Edgard Maxence. French ( b.1871 - d.1954 ). Meditation, Circa 1910. Oil On Canvas. Image size 34.4 inches x 22.2 inches ( 87.5cm x 56.5cm ). Frame size 44.1 inches x 31.9...

François Désiré Antoine Gailliard. Belgian ( b.1861 – d.1932 ). Le Petit Jardinier, 1887. Oil On Canvas. Signed & Dated Lower Right. Image size 36.6 inches x 28.5 inches ( 93cm x 72.5cm ). Frame size 41.7 inches x 33.5 inches ( 106cm x 85cm ). Available for sale; this original oil painting is by the Belgian luminist artist François Gailliard and is dated 1887. The canvas and the painted surface have benefitted from cleaning, restoration and conservation, which was performed on our instruction, supervision and approval. The painting is presented and supplied in its original frame. The frame has been restored and reinforced with supporting brackets along with new replacement hanging fittings. This antique painting is now in very good condition. It wants for nothing and is supplied ready to hang and display. The painting is signed and dated lower right. The renowned Belgian luminist painter, François Désiré Antoine Gailliard (also known as Frans or Franz Gailliard) was born in November 1861, in Brussels, Belgium. He was the son of Désiré Gailliard, a baker, and Anne Hubert. He grew up during a period when the country’s artistic landscape was flourishing. Raised in an atmosphere that encouraged artistic expression, Gailliard showed an early talent for drawing and painting. He pursued formal training at the Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts in Brussels, one of Belgium’s most prestigious art institutions. There, he studied under influential artists and developed the foundational skills that would shape his career. Gailliard initially joined the studio of Jean-François Portaels, then went on to study with Jules Hoeterickx, François Bossuet, and James Ensor. He also worked alongside Fernand Khnopt and became friends with James Abbott McNeill Whistler, the American artist, who he met in 1887 during stays in Berlin and Paris. He became part of the artistic and intellectual circles of Belgium, and other close friends included artists such as Alfred Stevens, Jean-Louis Forain and Félicien Rops. Finally, he joined the studio of Jean-Léon Gérôme in Paris. The academic environment in Brussels exposed Gailliard to various artistic traditions, but his work reflected an interest in pushing beyond academic conventions. Gailliard was particularly drawn to the evolving styles of the time, especially Realism and early explorations of Impressionism and Luminism, which would later define his signature style. Gailliard’s early work showed influences from the Barbizon School and other European Realists, focusing on meticulous, lifelike representations of nature, figures, and everyday scenes. Like many artists of his generation, he was deeply impacted by the works of French artists such as Jean-François Millet and Camille Corot, who emphasized the beauty in the ordinary and the rural. This focus on realism, combined with a sensitivity to light and atmosphere, became a defining feature of Gailliard’s work. However, Gailliard also admired Impressionism and its experimental use of colour and light. By the late 19th century, the work of French Impressionists like Claude Monet and Pierre-Auguste Renoir had gained international attention, and Belgian artists, including Gailliard, were beginning to incorporate these new approaches into their own work. His art became a fusion of detailed realism and a growing interest in capturing fleeting moments, light, and atmosphere—characteristics that placed him in alignment with Belgium’s Luminism movement. Gailliard’s paintings from this period are characterized by their use of light and their focus on everyday scenes, especially those connected to nature and the rural life of Belgium. While he was not a strict follower of Impressionist techniques, his work often employed similar methods, particularly the soft, diffused use of colour to create atmosphere. “Le Petit Jardinier” (1887), is one of his most notable works and exemplifies his ability to render both figures and nature with careful attention to light. Gailliard’s paintings were usually large canvases presenting genre scenes, portraits, nudes and landscapes. His works often highlighted the beauty in the ordinary and displayed a sense of quiet dignity and respect for his subjects. He also produced news cartoons, presented in French, Belgian and English weekly newspapers such as Le patriote illustré, Le petit bleu, and the London Illustrated News. Gailliard’s work was regularly exhibited both in Belgium and abroad. He presented his first painting at the 1881 Brussels Salon, then from 1882 to 1891 exhibited at the Salon des Artistes Français de Paris. He also exhibited in Berlin, and participated in major exhibitions, including those organized by influential art societies in Belgium such as Les XX and La Libre Esthétique, both known for promoting avant-garde art. Although Gailliard was not a founding member of these groups, his participation in their exhibitions placed him alongside other significant artists of his time, and he gained a reputation for his refined style and technical mastery. In 1897 he painted a portrait of King Chulalongkorn of Siam during his official visit to Belgium. Gailliard married Julie Constantine Maus in Brussels in 1898. They had a son, Jean-Jacques Gailliard, who also became an artist, designer and engraver. As Gailliard matured as an artist, his style remained rooted in realism and Luminism, though he also incorporated elements of Symbolism and Romanticism. His later works showed a deepening appreciation for mood and emotion, with a focus on portraits, landscapes, and scenes that often carried a sense of introspection. His paintings evoke a sense of calm and reflection, with light used not just to illuminate but to convey a deeper emotional or symbolic meaning. Gailliard went on to become the director of the Academy of Fine Arts of Saint Gilles, where, through the later efforts of his son, his reputation lives on. François Gailliard died in 1932 in Saint-Gilles, Brussels, where a street was named after him. He left behind a body of work that, while perhaps overshadowed by more radical movements of the time, remained respected for its craftsmanship and its commitment to realism and light. In the decades following his death, his work has been rediscovered and appreciated for its role in bridging the gap between Realism and the evolving movements of Impressionism and Luminism in Belgium. In 1957 he was given a retrospective tribute exhibition in the City Hall of Saint Gilles, organised by the Group d’Art Saint Gillois. Today, Gailliard’s paintings are celebrated for their quiet elegance, their masterful treatment of light, and their sensitive portrayal of everyday life. His work continues to be exhibited in Belgian art institutions, and he is regarded as one of the key figures of late 19th and early 20th century Belgian art. © Big Sky Fine Art “Le Petit Jardinier” (1887) by François Gailliard (also known as Franz or Frans Gailliard) is a captivating and significant oil on canvas painting, signed and dated by the artist in the lower right corner. In this evocative piece, a young boy, dressed in a blue apron over a striped shirt, stands confidently against a textured background of warm, earthy tones. His gaze is calm and proud. He holds a red geranium plant in a terracotta plant pot...

Giampaolo Talani (1955-2018) The "mad scientist" of the art world, Talani created art out of virtually everything he touched. After completing his training at the Florence Academy of...

Certificate of authenticity and artist catalogue are included. Bruno Paoli (1915-2005) Teaching the masters helped create this contemporary master. Bruno was a professor of art in F...

Giampaolo Talani (1955-2018) The "mad scientist" of the art world, Talani created art out of virtually everything he touched. After completing his training at the Florence Academy of...

Oil on board Board size: 19.5 x 29.5 inches Framed size: 30.5 x 40.25 inches Signed lower right Further signed and inscribed verso