RICHARD BELLIAS French, 1921–1974 Fruit still life on table Oil on canvas. Signed lower right. Framed. 43 x 45 inches (excluding frame) $300-400
ARTIST PROFILE: Richard Bellias (1921–1974) was a distinguished French painter associated with the School of Paris and the "La Jeune Peinture" (Young Painting) movement of the 1950s. Born in Paris, he refined his craft at the Académies Libres and the Académie de la Grande Chaumière under the tutelage of Othon Friesz, while also studying sculpture with Robert Wlérick. A significant turning point in his career occurred in 1946 when he met Édouard Goerg, whose influence deeply shaped Bellias’s sophisticated use of color and technical execution. Renowned for his vibrant still lifes, landscapes, and figurative works, Bellias was twice awarded the First Prize at the Salon for Young Painters (1957 and 1959) and held numerous solo exhibitions at prestigious venues such as the Monique de Groote and Jean-Claude Bellier galleries. His legacy is preserved in the permanent collections of major institutions, including the Museum of Modern Art in Paris and regional museums in Lille and Poitiers, where he is celebrated for his ability to infuse traditional subjects with an expressive, modern sensibility.
