Carole Pinto Fine Arts
Jacques Henry Guyot
French Artist (1940-)
'Port of Le Havre' (upper)
Oil on canvas
15 x 21.5 in.
$12,500
'Port of Le Havre' (lower left)
Oil on canvas
28 x 20 in.
$16,500
'The Juggler' (lower right)
Oil on Canvas,
21 x 26 in.
$17,500
After rigorous academic at the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Orleans, France, Guyot immersed himself in the study of classical and modern painting. He was especially impressed with the bold colors and flat, curvilinear forms of Matisse; but it was the cubism of Braque, Picasso and Leger that influenced him stylistically.
The composition embraces the brilliant color palette that Matisse introduced to modernism, and echoes the industrial forms that appear in the work of Leger. The juggler’s colorful balls add movement to the composition, and their flat curvilinear forms contrast with the tubular shape of his hat (whose dark shadow suggests depth), and the angular position of his arms that is echoed in the zig-zag decoration behind him.
Guyot was highly successful in the 1970’s, and was represented by several important Parisian dealers. He had major shows in Granada, Madrid and London, and throughout France, and there was an increasing demand for his works, which sold briskly at auction.
Success went to his head, and he started to abuse alcohol and drugs, to the point of not being able to produce anything of importance after 1980. The few works that are still available in the marketplace are coveted by collectors who appreciate his technical prowess and innovative style.