French Impressionist Painting Winter Landscape Scene "Foire De Montmartre" Paris by Eugene Galien-Laloue, 1900

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A fine and important French Impressionist winter landscape painting by the celebrated painter Eugène Galien-Laloue (1854–1941), the painting is titled … Read more A fine and important French Impressionist winter landscape painting by the celebrated painter Eugène Galien-Laloue (1854–1941), the painting is titled "Foire de Montmartre" (Montmartre Fair), circa 1900.
The painting depicts a bustling market scene in Paris with snow on the ground, well dressed Parisians shop at the market stalls which are illuminated with gas lamps, the streets with a mixture of horse buggy's and early cars.
The painting is signed lower left, and housed in a carved polychrome & gilt frame, condition is excellent, this very lovely painting is ready to grace your wall.

The current auction record for one of Eugene Galien-Laloue's gouache/watercolors is $175,748, sold at Anaf-Martinon Auction, Lyon, France 17th October 2004.

Artist Biography
Eugène Galien-Laloue (1854–1941) was a prolific French artist best known for his evocative street scenes of Paris during the Belle Époque period. He was a master of gouache, and meticulously documented the city’s transformation into a modern capital, capturing bustling boulevards, flower markets, and iconic landmarks often set in winter or rainy conditions.
Born in Montmartre on December 11, 1854, Galien-Laloue was the eldest of nine children. His father, Charles Laloue, was a set designer for a Parisian theater, providing Eugene with an early education in perspective and draftsmanship.Military Stint: At age 16, after his father’s death, he briefly worked for a notary before falsifying his age to enlist in the military during the Franco-Prussian War (1870–1871).
In 1874, he was hired by the French Railway lines to illustrate track layouts between Paris and the provinces, a role that allowed him to study and paint the rural countryside.
Galien-Laloue made his debut at the Salon des Artistes Français in 1877 and continued to exhibit there throughout his life.Signature Subject: His fame rests on his "fin-de-siècle" Parisian street scenes. He excelled at portraying the atmosphere of post-Haussmann Paris, focusing more on the architecture and bustle of the city than on individual character portraits.
While he used oils, he is most renowned for his gouache works. This medium allowed for the precision of detail required for architecture while drying quickly enough to meet the high demand for his work.
Due to his military background, the French government commissioned him as a "war artist" during both the Franco-Prussian War and World War I. Galien-Laloue was famously reclusive and often worked under various pseudonyms to bypass exclusive gallery contracts or to market different styles.
Galien-Laloue's personal life was as unique as his professional aliases; he married three sisters—Flore, Ernestine, and Claire Bardin—one after the other as they passed away. He continued to paint until 1940, stopping only after breaking his arm. He died on April 18, 1941, at his daughter’s home in Chérence.
Today, his works are held in the Musée des Beaux-Arts in La Rochelle, Louvier, and Mulhouse and many other fine galleries and museums worldwide See less