Bernard Lamotte
Encyclopedia
Bernard Lamotte was a Paris
-born artist, illustrator, painter and muralist. He attended École des Beaux-Arts
at the Sorbonne
and studied under Bernand Corman and Lucien Simon
(1861-1945). From 1932 to 1935, Lamotte traveled to Paris, Tahiti and New York. In 1935 at the age of 32, he moved to New York City to pursue his art.
Style and Works
Lamotte’s travels inspired his works, as demonstrated by his cityscapes of Paris, New York, and Tahiti. Lamotte beautifully captured modern day Parisian city life and street scenes Lamotte’s style is reminiscent of other artists of the School of Paris, modern with a flare for the romantic. His technique gives his oil paintings a look and texture of a watercolor.
While in New York, between travels to Tahiti and Paris, Lamotte received several mural commissions including and exhibitions including a solo show at the Wildenstein Gallery within one year of his arrival. Other exhibits included the Art Institute of Chicago in 1941, the Carstairs Gallery in New York City annually from 1941 – 1950’s and a solo show at the Palm Beach Gallery in 1965. Like Pierre Sicard and Grigory Gluckmann Lamotte was represented by the Dalzell-Hatfield Gallery in Los Angeles, which had an exhibition in 1975
Lamotte also created a mural of Christiansted Harbor on St. Croix, Virgin Islands for the White House pool for John F. Kennedy, which is now preserved in the John F. Kennedy Library
and Museum, Boston). Other commissions include businesses, restaurants corporations and private collectors. and theatre designer as well.
Lamotte was also an illustrator and illustrated for numerous fashion magazines. In 1945 there was an illustrated book published on Lamotte titled Bernard Lamotte, Oil Painting and Brush Drawing, written by Louis Gauthier and in 1948 his work was reviewed in Time magazine.
Museum collections of Lamotte’s work include the Tokyo Museum, Luxembourg Museum and Musee d’Art Moderne in Paris, and the French Embassy in Finland. Private collections include Joseph P. Kennedy and Alfred Barnes among several others.
The Vose Gallery of Boston has since hosted several exhibitions from his estate.
NYC Residence
Lamotte’s atelier was located above La Grenouille restaurant (http://www.la-grenouille.com/index.html) where fellow expatriate French artists and famed New York personalities congregated in including Greta Garbo, Charlie Chaplin and Marlene Dietrich. The studio he and his wife shared became a bohemian haven and was coined Le Bocal (“The Fishbowl”).
Friendship with Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
met Lamotte in art school in France, and in the early 1940s spent a great deal of time in Lamotte's New York City studio at 3 East 52nd Street, called Le Bocal. It was one of the places where Saint-Exupéry worked on Le petit prince. Lamotte also created the illustrations for Flight to Arras by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.
Personal Life
Lamotte was born and educated in Paris. Lamotte had been bedridden for some time as a child due to an injury and spent his time studying the color and textures of the cityscape below his window, which would greatly influence his artistic style and passion.
After years of travel, Bernard became an American citizen in 1951. Lamotte married Lilyan White Kent, a painter and sculptor, the widow of Twentieth Century Fox president Sidney R. Kent. She introduced to such stars as Marlene Dietrich
, Charlie Chaplin
, and Greta Garbo
.
Bernard died in 1983 at age 80 from complications from surgery at St. Luke's Hospital in Manhattan.
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
-born artist, illustrator, painter and muralist. He attended École des Beaux-Arts
École des Beaux-Arts
École des Beaux-Arts refers to a number of influential art schools in France. The most famous is the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts, now located on the left bank in Paris, across the Seine from the Louvre, in the 6th arrondissement. The school has a history spanning more than 350 years,...
at the Sorbonne
Sorbonne
The Sorbonne is an edifice of the Latin Quarter, in Paris, France, which has been the historical house of the former University of Paris...
and studied under Bernand Corman and Lucien Simon
Lucien Simon
Lucien J. Simon was a French painter and teacher born in Paris.After graduating from the Lycée Louis-le-Grand, he studied painting at the studio of Jules Didier, then from 1880 to 1883 at l’Académie Julian....
(1861-1945). From 1932 to 1935, Lamotte traveled to Paris, Tahiti and New York. In 1935 at the age of 32, he moved to New York City to pursue his art.
Style and Works
Lamotte’s travels inspired his works, as demonstrated by his cityscapes of Paris, New York, and Tahiti. Lamotte beautifully captured modern day Parisian city life and street scenes Lamotte’s style is reminiscent of other artists of the School of Paris, modern with a flare for the romantic. His technique gives his oil paintings a look and texture of a watercolor.
While in New York, between travels to Tahiti and Paris, Lamotte received several mural commissions including and exhibitions including a solo show at the Wildenstein Gallery within one year of his arrival. Other exhibits included the Art Institute of Chicago in 1941, the Carstairs Gallery in New York City annually from 1941 – 1950’s and a solo show at the Palm Beach Gallery in 1965. Like Pierre Sicard and Grigory Gluckmann Lamotte was represented by the Dalzell-Hatfield Gallery in Los Angeles, which had an exhibition in 1975
Lamotte also created a mural of Christiansted Harbor on St. Croix, Virgin Islands for the White House pool for John F. Kennedy, which is now preserved in the John F. Kennedy Library
John F. Kennedy Library
The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum is the presidential library and museum of the 35th President of the United States, John F. Kennedy. It is located on Columbia Point in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, USA, next to the Boston campus of the University of...
and Museum, Boston). Other commissions include businesses, restaurants corporations and private collectors. and theatre designer as well.
Lamotte was also an illustrator and illustrated for numerous fashion magazines. In 1945 there was an illustrated book published on Lamotte titled Bernard Lamotte, Oil Painting and Brush Drawing, written by Louis Gauthier and in 1948 his work was reviewed in Time magazine.
Museum collections of Lamotte’s work include the Tokyo Museum, Luxembourg Museum and Musee d’Art Moderne in Paris, and the French Embassy in Finland. Private collections include Joseph P. Kennedy and Alfred Barnes among several others.
The Vose Gallery of Boston has since hosted several exhibitions from his estate.
NYC Residence
Lamotte’s atelier was located above La Grenouille restaurant (http://www.la-grenouille.com/index.html) where fellow expatriate French artists and famed New York personalities congregated in including Greta Garbo, Charlie Chaplin and Marlene Dietrich. The studio he and his wife shared became a bohemian haven and was coined Le Bocal (“The Fishbowl”).
Friendship with Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry , officially Antoine Marie Jean-Baptiste Roger, comte de Saint Exupéry , was a French writer, poet and pioneering aviator. He became a laureate of France's highest literary awards, and in 1939 was the winner of the U.S. National Book Award...
met Lamotte in art school in France, and in the early 1940s spent a great deal of time in Lamotte's New York City studio at 3 East 52nd Street, called Le Bocal. It was one of the places where Saint-Exupéry worked on Le petit prince. Lamotte also created the illustrations for Flight to Arras by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.
Personal Life
Lamotte was born and educated in Paris. Lamotte had been bedridden for some time as a child due to an injury and spent his time studying the color and textures of the cityscape below his window, which would greatly influence his artistic style and passion.
After years of travel, Bernard became an American citizen in 1951. Lamotte married Lilyan White Kent, a painter and sculptor, the widow of Twentieth Century Fox president Sidney R. Kent. She introduced to such stars as Marlene Dietrich
Marlene Dietrich
Marlene Dietrich was a German-American actress and singer.Dietrich remained popular throughout her long career by continually re-inventing herself, professionally and characteristically. In the Berlin of the 1920s, she acted on the stage and in silent films...
, Charlie Chaplin
Charlie Chaplin
Sir Charles Spencer "Charlie" Chaplin, KBE was an English comic actor, film director and composer best known for his work during the silent film era. He became the most famous film star in the world before the end of World War I...
, and Greta Garbo
Greta Garbo
Greta Garbo , born Greta Lovisa Gustafsson, was a Swedish film actress. Garbo was an international star and icon during Hollywood's silent and classic periods. Many of Garbo's films were sensational hits, and all but three were profitable...
.
Bernard died in 1983 at age 80 from complications from surgery at St. Luke's Hospital in Manhattan.
External links
- Biography http://www.higginsmaxwell.com/lamotte.htm
- Biography (http://www.papillongallery.com/bernard_lamotte.html)
- NYC Studio (http://www.la-grenouille.com/index.html)
- Collections (http://www.vosegalleries.com/artists/ArtistWorks.cfm?ArtistID=144)