Francoise Gilot, Nature Morte a L'Oiseau, gouache on paper, 1966

Françoise Gilot French, 1921-2023 "Nature Morte à L'Oiseau" gouache on paper 1966, signed lower left, signed, titled, dated and inscribed "MG 463" en verso, label with artist and date and "Ricks Gallery & Framing, Lafayette, LA" label on backing paper, framed. Note: "As long as I am breathing, I am painting" – Francoise Gilot Francoise Gilot knew from an early age that she wanted to be an artist. While she entertained the pressures of her parents, particularly her father, to study law, her heart was always that of an artist. Having lived in the spotlight and published a best-selling memoir, her life and choices were exposed, unpacked and scrutinized, but her perseverance and dogged determination to paint yielded an oeuvre that speaks for itself and continues to garner accolades and admiration posthumously. A fascinating figure who shined a light on what it means to be simultaneously both muse and creator, Gilot lived a tremendous, defiant life on her own terms. Gilot's canvases are teaming with color, energy and passion. The painting offered here stuns in an array of crisp, elegant blues with carefully placed pops of mustard and lavender. The still life features a flying bird, more specifically a dove, possibly an eponymous nod to her daughter, Paloma, as well as a symbol of peace and freedom. While her works are impeccably composed with intricate layers of pattern and texture, they also emanate untamed exuberance, the combination of which beautifully mirrors the intensity of their fearless creator. Reference: Noveck, Jocelyn. "Artist Francoise Gilot, acclaimed painter who loved and later left Picasso, is dead at 101." Associated Press. June 6, 2023. www.apnews.com. Accessed: Oct. 30, 2026.

Estimate:$18,000

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