85 - GILBERT Victor Gabriel (1847–1935) – “In the Luxembourg Gardens.” Oil on canvas, signed lower left. 39 x 47 cm.

GILBERT Victor Gabriel (1847–1935) – “In the Luxembourg Gardens.” Oil on canvas, signed lower left. 39 x 47 cm. Small pinhole, minute losses in the lower portion. The artist made his debut at the Salon des Artistes Français in 1873, presenting two paintings. By the late 1870s, his penchant for naturalism had become evident, and he turned to genre painting, exploring scenes of streets, cafés, and markets—particularly the Les Halles market. He won a medal at the 1880 Salon and a silver medal at the 1889 World’s Fair. His work gained popularity in the 1880s, thanks to the firm Goupil & Cie, which reproduced his paintings as photogravure “chromos” and distributed them widely. Victor Gilbert was a keen observer of his time, depicting merchants and workers at the Halles in Paris, as well as markets in the provinces. His paintings depict the pride and dignity of the workers, as well as scenes from daily life, featuring steaming bowls of soup and butchered beef, reflecting both the warmth of human connection and the harshness of life. Contemporary critics praised his work, describing it as “lively and thoroughly modern, full of exuberance and strength, with refinements and subtleties of tone that demonstrate exceptional mastery.” He was also interested in childhood, painting scenes imbued with freshness and cheerfulness, where peaceful colors and harmonious combinations predominate. Against the backdrop of the Belle Époque, the status of children was changing. The painter depicts this era of the “child-king,” while contrasting his portraits of children with those of children begging.