Remembered as one of the most important Belgian painters of the post-Impressionist period, Frans Gailliard produced landscapes, figure pieces and portraits in a variety of media that included oil, gouache and pastel. Born in Brussels in 1861, he studied there locally at the academy under Portaels, Stallaert and Lauters. Although his professors were to teach him the rudiments of painting, it was his fellow students who included Ensor and Khnoppf that were to have the greatest influence on his style. A chance meeting with Whistler in 1887 persuaded Gailliard to leave Brussels and further his experiences in Paris. Here and subsequently in Berlin he moved in the top circles of the art world and was a friend to numerous painters from both the Impressionist and Symbolist movements. By now he was developing his own style of painting, one utilizing an adapted pointillist technique and was producing works full of light and attention to detail. As with many artists of his day his true genius as a painter was not recognized until after his death but in 1957 a highly important retrospective exhibition was held in Saint-Gilles in Belgium. A further retrospective was again held in Saint-Gilles at the Musee Horta in 1982. Further works by Gailliard can be seen in Belgium at the museums of Brussels, Ixelles, Liege, Charlier, Spa and Turnhout.
Lit; E. Benezit
Arto
P. Piron