Joseph Gazan, Portrait of a Niçoise (1947)

JOSEPH GAZAN (Nice, 1891-1985) Portrait of a Niçoise. 1947. Original plaster, yellow ochre patina. Height: 42 cm. Signed and dated: Gazan 1947. Provenance: Artist's studio, Hôtel des Ventes de Menton, Me Anne-Marie Biaggi, 5 April 2003. This portrait of a woman in her sixties, from the artist's studio sale, is extraordinary for its quality and beauty. The Jules Chéret Museum of Fine Arts in Nice holds a bas-relief medallion representing a double portrait of a couple, including the same woman. Originally from Nice, Joseph Gazan first studied at the School of Decorative Arts in Nice before joining the School of Fine Arts in Paris in 1911. He remained in Paris, where he notably worked for Rodin, until 1927, the year of his permanent return to Nice. Settled in his hometown, Gazan had a long career as one of the most sought-after sculptors in Nice for his statues, bas-reliefs, and portraits. His sculptures adorn grand Art Deco buildings in Nice, such as the Eden (rue Paul-Déroulède) and the Palladium (boulevard Gambetta). In 1937, he created the sculpted decor for the Côte d'Azur pavilion at the International Exhibition in Paris. Many monuments in Nice and the surrounding region are his work, including the bas-relief in tribute to Auguste Icart in the old town, and the stele of Jules Eynaudi in the eponymous staircase, as well as the monument to Queen Victoria in Menton. Gazan also created virgins and saints for the churches of Nice. He left his mark on educational institutions in Nice by decorating one of the façades of the Roland Garros college, and through the "1% artistic" policy established in 1951, he decorated the pediments of the Saint-Barthélémy primary school and the Higher School of Teaching and Education in Nice. His style is distinguished by striking realism and gentle classicism, combining lyricism and dynamism.