A beautiful representation of a still life with a soliflore vase and a faience ashtray from Quimper (Brittany). Oil on canvas signed lower right, painted around 1930.
Robert Alexandre Caulet was a French painter, professor of drawing and member of the resistance movement during the Second World War. He was born on February 14, 1906 in Marseille and his family moved to Paris sometime later. At 15 he passed the entrance exam to the School of Fine Arts in Paris but remained there only 3 months, his parents being unable to finance his studies. He therefore continued to work in a factory, while taking drawing lessons in the evenings. In 1929, he was awarded a Certificate of aptitude for teaching drawing in high schools and colleges. He was then appointed professor of drawing at the Lycée Dupuy-de-Lôme in Lorient (Brittany). In the following years, he taught drawing at Reunion Island, as well as in Tunis, Dakar and Casablanca.
Between 1941 and 1945, he was a professor of drawing at the Lycée Edmond-Perrier in Tulle, south-western France, where he came into contact with local resistance movements. He was arrested in Bordeaux by the Gestapo on July 22, 1943 and imprisoned at Fort du Hâ for a month. He was released for lack of evidence and on his return, he went into hiding. An active member of the Resistance, the Resistance medal was awarded to him by decree in April, 1946.
After the war, he moved to his hometown of Marseille where he died on February 29, 1984.
Artist: Robert Caulet (1906-1984)
Signed in the lower right corner.
Medium: Oil on canvas.
Condition: Very good condition.
Dimensions: 47 x 38 cm. / 18 ½ x 15 in.
Frame: 55 x 47 cm. / 21 ½ x 18 ½ in. Gold painted wood. Good condition, overall.
Origin: France.