Francoise Gilot
the artist ,the muse , the serendipity
A remarkable portrait of celebrated French artist Francoise Gilot, wife of Jonas Salk, exposing the secret to her artistic brilliance. She was born in 1921, into a renowned fashion family and married Jonas Salk in 1945. Together they made innovative contributions to DNA research, developing polio vaccines and finding a cure for poliovirus while working at the famed Salk Institute. In this intimate portrait, Francoise reveals the surprising source of her artistry: her grandfather’s ‘couturier” business selling exotic foods and his photography studio that opened new ways of seeing color.”
Exhibitions
Explore the curated artworks and masterpieces by Francoise. Check out the details below to know more.
Françoise Gilot: Her Journey Through Portraiture
- 12 Jan 2021 - 27 Feb 2021
Françoise Gilot
A Print Retrospective From the Patrick and Jackie Terrail Collection
- 12 Jan 2021 - 27 Feb 2021
Early Life
Unlike most children Francoise obtains a insatiable passion for Greek Mythology and is quite fond of it and is intrigued and by the age 12 has read works by Villon,Ronsad,Rabelais,Poe, as well as Baudelaire. Then again by the age of 14 she has read Alfred Jarry.
This early immense understanding of Greek Mythology undoubtedly lent its way to her later “ painting subjects” as a adult and later art subjects & book “Gods of Greece”.
Serendipity played a important and “ seminal”point at the age of 5.
During Anne Renaults annual New Year Eve tea party Francoise notices a rather powerful and eccentrically man thus wearing a long cape a tie with a modern classic polka dot tie and large hat.
A avangard hip man turned and presents the family with a gift which will remain and be expressed in art with Francoise for years to come “
Artworks
Francoise Gilot vast array of “ subjects” , “themes”, “ symbolism” has been achieved by many pivotal factors.
Her first “ medium” of paint was to be a “ triumph “ of all mediums, thus “ watercolours”.
