(Paris 1933–lives and works in Paris)

À la bonne franquette.

Oil on canvas.

Signed lower left: Michel Delacroix. Signed, titled and with location: Michel Delacroix Paris "À la bonne franquette".

60 x 73 cm.

The authenticity of this work has been confirmed by the artist, October 2018, Paris. We thank Mme Fabienne Delacroix for her kind support.

Provenance: Private collection Rhineland.

Born in Paris in 1933, the artist Michel Delacroix spent his childhood in Paris and never completely left the city. As a child during the Second World War, he experienced the occupation of France and the quiet of the city during the curfew and the consequent absence of cars. These experiences influenced his perception of the city. He studied art at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris. After completing his studies, he worked as stage designer for the mime artist Marcel Marceau and later as an art teacher. His own artistic outlook would be classed as “naïf” painting. In 1994 he made the poster for the 100th anniversary of the Olympic Games in Atlanta. His works are present in numerous museums and art collections.

The city and particularly Paris are his main themes. He has depicted Paris in all its facets. In his paintings the city is arrested in time. He paints the Paris of his childhood and not the contemporary metropolis. In his works Paris is quiet and calm, without the chaos of a major city. His paintings are full of details and bright colours, which create an idyllic picture of the city. He is inspired by his observations and his memories, in order to depict these harmonious views. Delacroix describes himself as an “artist of dreams and a poetic past” - concepts which describe him very well.