Remi Blanchard: Homage To San Francisco, Wolf Schulz Coll., Vol. V

RÉMI BLANCHARD Homage to San Francisco

the Wolf Schulz Coll. - Vol. V

Rémi Blanchard: Homage To San Francisco Works from The Collection of Wolf Schulz, San Francisco, California

Design & Text © Fredrick Page/Page Art Inc 2023

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RÉMI BLANCHARD IN SAN FRANCISCO Wolf Schulz had first seen Rémi Blanchard’s work in 1981 at Galerie Yvon Lambert in Paris. After meeting with the artist, Mr. Schulz committed to a plan that would bring Blanchard to San Francisco four years later.

Rémi Blanchard arrived in San Francisco in the summer of 1985 for a solo exhibition at the Wolf Schulz Gallery. The gallery arranged a studio space for the artist on Minnesota Street, in the ‘Dogpatch’, a district of mostly empty warehouses and run-down commercial buildings just south of the city center.1 Photographs in the Gallery’s files show Blanchard both relaxing and also painting on some of the works in his upcoming show.

Chief among those works was a multi-panel painting, The Artist and San Francisco. While Blanchard may have not been a historian of San Francisco, he was attuned to the City and its world-famous landmarks, several of which he selected and arranged into a grand panorama. The anchor image was the Transamerica Pyramid (1969-1972, Wm. Pererira Architect), which was then less than 15 years old, and claimed ‘bragging rights’ as the most unique and, for over 40 years, the tallest building in San Francisco.

The painting includes the following images: * Lombard Street, the so-called “crookedest street in the world” * Cable Cars, established in 1873 and still running today, 150 years later * Transamerica Pyramid, the most uniquely designed office building -in San Francisco * Alcatraz Island, home to the infamous high-security prison (1934-1963), now a major tourist site * The Golden Gate Bridge, a masterpiece of engineering and the City’s most famous landmark, built 1933-1937 * Sea Captain and Clipper Ship, the fastest merchant sailing vessels ever built, symbolic of the sea and the trade which built many fortunes in the young City * ‘Humphrey’ The Whale, the migratory Humpback whale that became lost in San Francisco Bay in 1985 (and in 1990).

Thousands of Bay Area residents assisted in his rescue and return to the Pacific Ocean * Native American Tribal Chief, possibly one of the Ramaytush Ohlone tribe, the original San Francisco residents, dwelling in the area since ca. 800 A.D.

Though other Figuration Libre artists came to visit and exhibit at the Wolf Schulz Gallery, Rémi Blanchard is unique among them in producing such a large and singular city-inspired work while in residence in the City by the Bay. The artist’s distinctly personal snapshot of the city has remained in the Wolf Schulz Collection since its creation and is here offered as the centerpiece of this latest catalogue.

1. Today the Dogpatch is part of a massive re-development scheme, which includes numerous art galleries, notably the Minnesota Street Project: re-purposed warehouses featuring multiple galleries and artist studios.

1

RÉMI BLANCHARD Petit Cirque (Circus performers in front of tent: strongman, juggler, fire-eater) Acrylic on canvas; 1988 Signed and dated lower right: Blanchard R. 1988, back with ink inventory no. B331 on stretcher, from Wolf Schulz Gallery and with their stamp Height: 40 inches [101.6 cm] Width: 30 inches [76.2 cm] Literature Wolf Schulz Gallery San Francisco, Remi Blanchard, exhibition catalogue, illus. in color published by Arte Adrien Maeght, Paris, Nov. 3, 1988 SOLD

2

RÉMI BLANCHARD L’aventurier (The adventurer with sailing ship, set against a blue sea, framed by a twisted rope border) Acrylic on canvas; 1986 Signed, titled and dated lower left: L’aventurier - B. Blanchard III 86, back with pencil inventory no. B120 from Wolf Schulz Gallery and with their stamp Height: 37 ½ inches [95.25 cm] SOLD

Width: 29 ½ inches [75 cm]

3

RÉMI BLANCHARD Portrait of the Artist In San Francisco (Including iconic images of the City: Lombard Street and Cable Car, Transamerica Pyramid, Golden Gate Bridge, Clipper Ship & Captain, Alc atraz Island, Humphrey the Whale and Native American Chief ) Oil on three wood panels (triptych); 1985 Signed and dated lower right on right-hand panel: R. Blanchard 1985 Height of Each Panel: 96 inches [244 cm] Width of Each Panel: 48 inches [122 cm] Overall Width: 144 inches [366 cm] PRICE ON REQUEST

4

RÉMI BLANCHARD Untitled (Two scenes: top panel with blue figure wearing anim al skin, lower panel with winged man kneeling in front of fireplace Acrylic on canvas; 1988 Signed and dated lower right: R. Blanchard II 1988; back with ink inventory no. B312 on stretcher from Wolf Schulz Gallery and with their stamp Height: 56 3/4 inches [144 cm]

Width: 34 ½ inches [87.6 cm]

SOLD

5

RÉMI BLANCHARD Untitled (Sailboat and sea waves, a small bird above the sail) Acrylic on canvas; 1986 Signed and dated lower right: R. Blanchard VI 86; back with inventory no. B 137 on stretcher, and Wolf Schulz Gallery stamp Height: 33 ½ inches [85 cm]

Width: 39 ½ inches [100.3 cm]

SOLD

6

RÉMI BLANCHARD

Paysage Arles (Landscape, Arles) Oil on canvas, 1989 Signed and dated lower left: Blanchard R. 1989; back with Wolf Schulz Gallery stamp and inventory # B165 Height: 52 inches [132 cm] Width: 32 1/4 inches [82 cm] Note Has small tear (approx. 1-inch) at right SOLD

7

RÉMI BLANCHARD

Untitled (Face and donkey) Sumi ink with silver paint on brown rice paper, 1986 Signed and dated lower right R. Blanchard II 1986 Height: 38 3/8 inches [97.4 cm] Width: 24 1/2 inches [62.2] $ 12,000

8

RÉMI BLANCHARD

Untitled (Recumbent stag and moon against a blue ground) Watercolor and gouache on paper, 1985 Signed and dated lower left R. Blanchard II 85 Height: 14 1/2 inches [43.8 cm] Width: 24 1/2 inches [73 cm] $ 8,000

9

RÉMI BLANCHARD

Untitled (Yellow figure with blackbird and burning bush) Acrylic and oil on paper, 1988 Signed and dated lower right: R. Blanchard 1983 Height: 43 inches [109.2 cm] Width: 29 ½ inches [74.9 cm] SOLD

RÊMI BLANCHARD: Homage To San Francisco Catalogue Checklist

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Petit Cirque (Circus performers in front of tent: strongman, juggler and fire-eater) Acrylic on canvas; 1988 and dated lower right: Blanchard R. 1988, back with Wolf Schulz Gallery inventory no. B331 and gallery stamp Height: 40 in [101.6 cm] Width: 30 in [76.2 cm] Literature: Wolf Schulz Gallery San Francisco, Remi Blanchard, exhibition catalogue, illus. in color, published by Arte Adrien Maeght, Paris, Nov. 3, 1988 SOLD

2.

L’aventurier (The adventurer with sailing ship, set against a blue sea, framed by a twisted rope border) Acrylic on canvas; 1986 Signed, titled and dated lower left: L’aventurier - B. Blanchard III 86, back with Wolf Schulz Gallery inventory no. B120 and gallery stamp Height: 37 ½ in [95.25 cm] Width: 29 ½ in [75 cm] SOLD

3.

Portrait of the Artist In San Francisco (Including iconic images of the City: Lombard Street and Cable Car, Transamerica Pyramid, Golden Gate Bridge, Sea Captain and Clipper Ship, Alcatraz Island, Humphrey the Whale and Native American Chief ) Oil on three wood panels (triptych); 1985 Signed and dated lower right on right-hand panel: R. Blanchard 1985 Height Each Panel: 96 in [244 cm] Width Each Panel: 48 in [122 cm] Overall: 144 in [366 cm] PRICE ON REQUEST

4.

Untitled (Two scenes: top panel with blue figure wearing animal skin, lower panel with winged man kneeling in front of a fireplace) Acrylic on canvas; 1988 Signed and dated lower right: R. Blanchard II 1988; back with Wolf Schulz Gallery inventory no. B312 and gallery stamp Height: 56 3/4 in [144 cm] Width: 34 ½ in [87.6 cm] SOLD

5.

Untitled (Sailboat and sea waves, a small bird above the sail) Acrylic on canvas; 1986 Signed and dated lower right: R. Blanchard VI 86; back with Wolf Schulz Gallery inventory no. B137 and gallery stamp Height: 33 ½ in [85 cm] Width: 39 ½ in [100.3 cm] SOLD

6.

Paysage Arles Oil on canvas, 1989 Signed and dated lower left: Blanchard R. 1989; back with Wolf Schulz Gallery inventory # B165 and gallery stamp Height: 52 in [132 cm] Width: 32 1/4 in [82 cm] SOLD

7.

Untitled (Face and donkey) Sumi ink with silver paint on brown rice paper, 1986 Signed and dated lower right R. Blanchard II 1986 Height: 38 3/8 in [97.4 cm] Width: 24 ½ in [62.2] $12,000

8.

Untitled (Recumbent stag and moon against a blue ground) Watercolor and gouache on paper, 1985 Signed and dated lower left R. Blanchard II 85 Height: 14 ½ in [43.8 cm] Width: 24 ½ in [73 cm] [Unframed] $8,000

9.

Untitled (Yellow figure with blackbird and burning bush) Acrylic and oil on paper, 1988 Signed and dated lower right: R. Blanchard 1983 Height: 43 in [109.2 cm] Width: 29 ½ in [74.9 cm] SOLD

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