Boston, MA. Vose Galleries is pleased to announce the exhibition Bernard Lamotte: Bon Vivant, the Galleries’ sixth exhibition of the artist’s work since 1993. The show features over twenty works by Lamotte, demonstrating his talent with a variety of mediums, from oils to watercolors and ink drawings.

As a 16 year old boy, a fall and corresponding illness left Bernard Lamotte (1903-1983) bed ridden for two years. During this period the young artist honed his drawing and observational skills, becoming adept at grounding his works in character and personality. One can imagine him peering from his bedroom window over the bustling streets of Paris, watching the passersby and capturing the small moments of their isolation in the crowd. This empathy for his subjects, coupled with his extended periods of solitude, imbued Lamotte with an insatiable joie de vivre which he carried throughout his life. Lamotte's magnetic personality later drew some of the most glamorous figures of the era into his social circle, including Picasso, Salvador Dalí, Marlene Deitrich and Barbara Hutton. After his move to the United States in 1935, Lamotte's studio at 3 East 52nd St., nicknamed Le Bocal ("the fishbowl"), was often filled with these luminaries. His plain wooden desk quickly became a kind of log book, as his guests carved their names into any available space. In 1942, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry would complete much of his manuscript for The Little Prince seated at Lamotte's battered old desk. 

Lamotte's versatility and personal vision earned him impressive recognition. Representation at galleries in New York, Los Angeles, Palm Beach, Paris and Tokyo exposed his work to a varied audience. An artist whose magnetism captivated his generation, Lamotte reveals in his fluid sketches a whimsical, witty approach. His paintings are infused with his own charm and good humor.

The exhibition will be viewable online and in the gallery through September 23rd. Please contact the gallery with any questions.

http://www.vosegalleries.com/exhibitions/bernard-lamotte-bon-vivant