Au Cafe

Framed 41 x 48 inches

François Chabrier was born in 1916 in Bellizzi en Campanie. His father was French and his mother was Italian.

Chabrier’s first paintings were inspired by the nature of the Mediterranean, with its beautiful sunshine and blue sky. At this time he was inspired by the color and styles of Matisse, Dufy and Van Dongon.

In Nice he was exposed to the elegant life on Monte Carlo, and his tastes changed. He painted many works depicting the scenes of the Côte d’Azur.

Chabrier eventually came to Paris where his experiences took another turn. Paris opened his eyes to the world of artistic freedom blooming in Montparnasse. He attended l’Académie Julian, and the studio of André Lhote. Here he became inspired by the Parisian life notably that of café life where painters musicians and poets gathered together and ideas circulated. It was in this setting where Chabrier met Gromaire whose somber and strong pallet he came to greatly admire.

A master of composition he never let his work be driven by the rigidity that sometimes marked the great cubist masters who had influenced him. Chabrier succeeded to introduce curves and movement, a futurist concept, into his scenes of the café or billiards. This almost lyrical type of cubism shows that Chabrier had not left behind his Italian heritage.

Chabrier exhibited in the Salon D’Été des Artistes Indépendants de Basse-Normandie (Bayeux) as well as in the Salon d’Automne des Artistes Indépendants de Basse-Normandie (Caen). He exhibited in the Salon d’Hiver in Paris 1946. Chabrier was a member of the Salon des Réalités Nouvelles 1948 and 1949. He also exhibited at Terres Latines in 1956, 1957, 1960, and 1963