Gustav Bolin

'Organic Abstract', Academie Chaumière, Musée d'Art Moderne, Paris, Benezit

1972

Gustav Bolin studied in Paris with Emile Othon Friesz at L’Académie de la Grande Chaumière. During the first years of the war, he lived in Antibes in the South of France. During this period, landscapes were his greatest source of inspiration, and he made a close study of the work of Paul Cézanne. Returning to Paris in 1943, he worked in the studio of Pierre Tal-Coat and frequented the Café de Flore, where he kept company with members of the first generation of the School of Paris, including Picasso, Nicolas de Staëll and Diego Giacometti. At this time, he painted numerous portraits of his family, friends and the artistic characters of Montmartre. The artist held his first solo exhibition at the Pierre Loeb Gallery in 1948, gaining immediate recognition from both critics and the public. The recipient of numerous medals, prizes and juried awards, Bolin exhibited with success internationally including in Stockholm, New York and Tokyo. His work may be found in the permanent collections of national museums including the Muséed'Art Moderne, Paris. In 2006, Paris honored him with a retrospective of his work at the Salon of Tapestries and at the exhibition hall of the Louvre des Antiquaires. Bolin is listed in all relevant reference works including Benezit Dictionary of Artists, which lists a comprehensive biography that includes a signature sample.