L'Art français
| Former name | L'Art Français |
|---|---|
| Established | 1934 |
| Location | Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
| Type | Art Gallery |
| Collections | Canadian, French and Quebecian artists |
| Founder | Lucienne & Louis Lange |
| Curator | Jean-Pierre Valentin |
Valentin Gallery is Quebec's oldest gallery in existence. Created in 1934, it is first called L'Art Français and had its start on Laurier Street in Montreal. Owners Lucienne (1900-1992) and Louis (1890-1956) Lange in the beginning showed works by French artists. By the 1940s they were offering art by Marc-Aurèle Fortin and Philip Surrey. In 1975, Jean-Pierre Valentin purchased the gallery. The gallery moved to its present Sherbrooke Street location later and changed the name for Valentin Gallery.
In the beginning L'Art français was a shop selling frames and reproductions of French paintings. The owners were Louis and Lucienne Lange, who came to Canada in 1930. Louis was from Belgium and Lucienne from France. They were ready to go back to Europe when they decided to open the framing gallery on Laurier Avenue, incorporating print sales for better access to the public. Through the framing activity, they started meeting artists who came there to have their paintings framed. In 1936 a first show by Quebec artist Fleurimont Constantineau was the starting point in a non-stop series of exhibitions. Mr. Lange then decided to travel to Europe, especially to France and Belgium, in order to buy paintings. The gallery also exhibited young Canadian painters. While it opened with a stock entirely from France, World War II interrupted importations so it went Canadian. In 1943 and 1944 two solo exhibitions of Henri Masson and the first solo of René Richard were held. Sculptures by Jordi Bonet were also exhibited. n the 1950s, painters such as John Little were regularly exhibited. Canadian painters were now the main feature of exhibitions at L'Art français. The Lange also sold the paintings of painters such as Adrien Hébert, Suzor-Côté, Alfred Laliberté, Clarence Gagnon, Horatio Walker, Cornelius Krieghoff, Coburn, Lyman, Jackson, and also abstract surrealist works by Riopelle, Pellan, Borduas, and Jean Dallaire. In 1956, Mr. Lange died and his wife decided to carry on. She exhibited Miyuki Tanobe. During these years, Stanley Cosgrove, Ozias Leduc, Paul Soulikias and Goodridge Roberts exhibited their works here. The gallery exhibited also Henri Masson, Berthe des Clayes, Edmund Alleyn, Ghitta Caiserman, P.V Beaulieu, Lismer, Borenstein, Pilot,Emily Carr, Brymner, Cullen, Franchère, Adrien Hébert, Massicotte, Plamondon, Johnstone,Bourassa,Laliberté and Henri Julien.
...
Wikipedia