Gustave Loiseau

Gustave Loiseau, a French painter of the Post-Impressionist movement, was born in Paris on October 3, 1865. His works primarily focus on landscapes depicting rural, urban, and countryside life. Like many Post-Impressionist artists, he painted en plein air and, towards the end of his career, he also dedicated himself to still-life paintings.

Coming from a family of merchants in Pontoise, particularly in the butcher trade, Loiseau grew up in this town where he became an apprentice butcher at the age of 15. It was his move to Montmartre and his meeting with the landscape painter Fernand Quignon that would change his professional trajectory. Quignon taught him the basics of painting, and in 1887, Gustave Loiseau decided to fully devote himself to this art by enrolling at the École des Arts Décoratifs. On the advice of his mentor, he spent several periods in Auvers-sur-Oise and Pont-Aven, joining his friends Maxime Maufra, Henry Moret, and Émile Bernard every summer at the Gloanec boarding house. He also crossed paths with Paul Gauguin, who offered him valuable advice to refine his technique.

Encouraged by his peers, Loiseau participated in the 6th, 7th, and 8th exhibitions of Impressionist and Symbolist painters at the Le Barc de Bouteville gallery in Paris in 1894. This allowed him to sign a contract with the Durand-Ruel Gallery in 1897, which acquired and exhibited his works in Paris and New York. In 1901, the gallery held his first solo exhibition, alongside an exhibition of works by Georges Manzana-Pissarro, the son of Camille Pissarro. After purchasing a painting by Manzana-Pissarro, the two artists became close friends.

In 1904, Gustave Loiseau settled in Pontoise, where he would remain until his death. His studio is still visible there today. He created numerous paintings illustrating the surrounding landscapes, such as the Hermitage district, the banks of the Oise, the Quai du Ponthuis, and the Saint-Maclou Cathedral, among others. His works reflect a genuine passion for the seasons, capturing the renewal of spring, the colors of autumn, as well as winter scenes of snow and frost. Although he was influenced by major names in Impressionism such as Claude Monet and Camille Pissarro, his technique and approach to light, more sensitive and distinct, are associated with Post-Impressionism.

Gustave Loiseau passed away in Paris in 1935, leaving behind a valuable artistic legacy composed of numerous paintings of the landscapes and themes that marked his life.