Just as Place du Tertre does, the Honfleur Port draws
in crowds of highly and not so highly talented painters
of any leanings who work under the respectful or simply
interested scrutiny of tourists in love with picturesque
Normandy.
A watercolourist, Jean-Louis Thibaut would not let
his fascination for the port deprive him of picturing
with brio all the other splendid areas in Eugène
Boudin’s native town. He has his studio there
in which brilliant watercolours are born under his rare
quality, hyperrealist brush. The truth is Jean-Louis
Thibaut is not just any painter as he graduated from
Ecole Boulle and Ecole Nationale Supérieure des
Arts Décoratifs de Paris. His works are on show
in renowned exhibitions and galleries both in Normandy
and in Paris and raise great interest from the Art market
abroad.
I must admit that I am amazed by his watercolours,
not only because of their technical quality and perfection
in the motifs’ details, but also because they
convey life and poetry within reality magic. The portraits
and landscapes never look like fixed photographs and
Jean-Louis Thibaut provides them with an alternative
light, unusual vibrations and peaceful but sparkling
energy that delight both the eyes and the mind.
André Ruellan
Critique d'Art
Sensitivity on top of it.
Hyperrealism is sometimes said to favour technique
to the detriment of sensation. A watercolour virtuoso,
Jean-Louis Thibault gives a completely different meaning
to his work than that of a race to feat. It is emotion
he is interested in. Whether painting on the motif or
from a photograph, he immerses himself to the soul into
the subject his hand will gradually transfigure and
he imitates reality up to the point the viewers are
deceived.
Here is a portrait of an artist in love with life.
When entering Jean-Louis Thibaut’s wokshop in
the rue du Dauphin in Honfleur, it is impossible not
to admire the paintings that almost cover the walls.
They display so much realism that magic works as soon
as you step across the threshold. They deceivingly look
like large format photographs. Only when getting closer
can the viewer defeat the illusion. Yes, these are watercolours,
but it almost takes a magnifying glass to be sure. When
Jean-Louis Thibaut uses pastels, which are even more
difficult to work with, it gets easier to guess the
painter, but the result is just as much amazing. The
artist also uses oil, and more and more often acrylic
too, because drying time is very quick which facilitates
his work.
A class-mate of Gérard Titus Carmel, Jean-Louis
Thibaut graduated from Ecole Boulle and Ecole Nationale
des Arts Décoratifs. From 1967 to 1974 he worked
as a model-maker for various advertising agencies and
interior architecture agencies. Then he decided to devote
himself to painting only. In 1975 he fell in love with
Honfleur and settled down there with his wife. He has
remained true to the place and keeps on depicting its
warm and invigorating atmosphere. Weather permitting,
he never misses an opportunity to go and work outdoors.
With his pencils and paintbox, he transposes onto paper
the tiny details his infallible eye perceives. He also
takes a lot of pictures which he will use as a basis
for the large formats that take several weeks of regular
work to be completed. The metamorphosis is carried out
in the secrecy of his workshop, eight hours a day.
Jean-Louis Thibaut enjoys living among objects that
remind him of the good old times. A rather discreet
and reserved person he admits (as if apologizing) to
“a little unsociable nature”. This romantic
gives special attention to simple people such as peasants,
gardeners, fishermen or passers-by, that is characters
who are anonymous but rich with real-life experience.
He even goes so far as to reproduce a 1949 classroom
photograph in the form of a splendid black and white
wash drawing enhanced with Prussian blue. Guessing which
is the face of the artist then becomes an entertaining
game.
With his Breton fisherman looks Jean-Louis Thibaut
is attached to seaside motifs and is second to none
when it comes to restore the architecture of the great
dream sailing ships such as the Amerigo Vaspucci which
he portrayed in the most startling way. He has a remarkable
passion for nature and declares himself much attached
to the Cotentin seaside and the Chausey islands which
are a dreamers’ paradise. Nonetheless, he has
no pre-conceived ideas in mind when about to start painting
and he may just as well work on a rural setting or on
the most moving portrait of all, depending on the day’s
inspiration or mood. Sometimes the subject comes up
again several months later. His proven glaze technique
has reached a rare degree of perfection and his skill
at drawing serves him under any circumstances. One can
only admire such dexterity.
Luis PORQUET, critique
d'art
October 2004 |
