Still Life

This still life with flowers and fruits by Bela Balogh, circa 1950, depicts a table draped in rich cloths: a Prussian blue silk drapery and a brocaded silk curtain, flowing over a white table cloth. To the left of the arrangement is an intricate jewel embossed flower vase filled with violet and white lilacs, yellow daisies and pink roses. A matching jewel embossed and enameled ewer is on the left. In the center, an ornate silver fruit bowl is piled high with an abundance of grapes, apples, peaches and pears, some overflowing out of the bowl and onto the table. In the forefront at the edge of the table is a single gold goblet. A stunning composition.

Bela Balogh (1909-1980) was an autodidact Hungarian painter who specialized in still life compositions of fruit and flowers. Often that composition would consist of antique elements such as silver bowls, tankards, vases and ewers, or at times only a floral arrangement as the focal point of the painting. We have found little biographical information about this artist to date, but will continue researching. However, he appears to have been quite a prolific artist, judging from the auction records dating back to the early 90s. And since the early 00s, his paintings have been sold all over Europe and North America at reputed auction houses such as Bonhams and Christie’s.

Artist: Bela Balogh (1909-1980)
Signed in the lower right corner: “Balogh Béla”
Medium: Oil on canvas.
Condition: Excellent condition.
Dimensions: 79 x 61 cm. / 31 x 24 in.
Frame: 99,5 x 79 cm. / 39 x 31 ½ in. Sculpted, distressed wood finish, off-white and gold. Good general condition.
Provenance: Private collection, Canada. 

Michel Gabriel Joseph Toussaint Fronti was a French painter and pastel artist, born in Marseille on November 3, 1862 and died in the same city on September 20, 1936. Son of an artist, he manifested a strong inclination for painting from a young age. He followed the usual route of painters from the south of France: École des Beaux-Arts in Marseille (studio of Eugène Lagier), then in Paris (under Jules Lefèbvre and Benjamin-Constant). It wasn't long before he made a name for himself in the artistic world.

Member of the Salon des Artistes Français, he exhibited and obtained great success (silver medal in 1922) and numerous awards at various Salons. On his return to Marseille, he quickly found his place in the great family of Provence artists, where his kindness and smiling indulgence earned him many close friendships. Michel Fronti was honorary president of the Artists of Provence and member of the jury at the École des Beaux-Arts in Marseille.

The work of Michel Fonti, as a whole, testifies to a high artistic conscience, an aesthetic confidence and, above all, a keen sensitivity. As a pastel artist, Michel Fronti demonstrated unusual virtuosity and was fully invested in all his works.

The pedestrian victim of a traffic accident, he succumbed to his injuries seven months after the incident on September 20, 1936, aged 74.

Sources: Benezit, Dictionary of Artists; Le Petit Marseillais, 23 septembre 1936, p.3; Gérard Schurr & Pierre Cabanne : Dictionnaire des Petits Maîtres de la peinture. Les Éditions de l’Amateur, p. 311.

Artist: Michel Fronti (1862-1936).
Signed “M. Fronti” in the bottom left corner.
Medium: Pastel on paper.
Condition: Excellent condition, professionally restored.
Dimensions: 59 x 72 cm. / 23 ¼ x 28 ¼ in.
Frame: 83 x 96 cm. / 32 ½ x 37 ¾ in. Wood, contemporary, classic style.
Origin: France.   

This still life oil painting, created around 1950, portrays a table adorned with fruit, books and pottery. The artist's signature can be found in the lower right corner.

Spiros George Xenos was a Greek-Swedish artist. Born on 11 June 1881 in Athens, Greece, after six years of study at Athens School of Fine Arts, he left Greece in 1903 and helped by a scholarship continued his education in Munich, Germany.

In Paris he opened a studio and established himself in artist circles. Here he also met his first wife Elin von Reis (1874-1926) whom he married 1911. In 1913, the couple went to Sweden for a short stay, but due to the outbreak of World War came to settle there.

Xenos's paintings were inspired by the landscape of Sweden's west coast, but he is also known for his portraits and still lifes. 

Spiros Xenos died on 21 January 1963 in Gothenburg, Sweden.

His work is exhibited at 'Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg', at 'the University of Gothenburg (School of Business, Economics and Law)' and in 'National Gallery and Alexandros Soutzos Museum' (Athens Art Museum).

Sources: Wikipedia. 

Artiste: Spiros Xenos (1881-1963).  
Signed in the lower right corner. 
Medium: Oil on canvas. 
Condition: Very good condition. 
Dimensions: 39 x 50 cm. / 15 1/4 x 19 3/4 in. 
Frame: 47 x 58 cm. / 18 1/2 x 22 3/4 in. Very good condition.
Origin: Sweden.