Page 5 - G19C Opening Catalogue

I N T R ODU C T I O N

It has been almost three years since the founding of Gallery 19C. In March 2016, our journey began with a website
(www.gallery19c.com) and a handful of 19th century paintings. A few weeks later, we were invited to exhibit
at a wonderful art fair in New York, Spring Masters. Reluctant to accept because we only had 8 paintings in our
inventory, the organizers graciously offered us a “boutique-sized” stand at the entrance to the fair; Spring Masters
would become our public debut. Since then we have done fairs in Palm Beach and last fall we exhibited at TEFAF
New York. Our proudest accomplishment thus far has been our sale of Alexandre Cabanel’s Le Paradis Perdu to the
Musée d’Orsay.

Now, after several months of reviewing architectural designs and working with contractors, our gallery in Los Angeles
has opened its doors. The space we found in Beverly Hills was a raw, empty shell when we first saw it; now it has
soaring high ceilings, a contemporary take on a parquet floor, and individual wall moldings to showcase the paintings.
Our idea was to transform the design elements found in traditional living spaces into something modern. Nowhere
is this more evident than in the Barrisol ambient light fixture on the ceiling, a 21stcentury equivalent of the skylights

that were often found in artist’s studios in the 19th century.

These days, some feel it is not necessary to have a bricks-and-mortar space for an art gallery, and we have found that
we can do great things with only a website and attending fairs. However, our mission is also didactic, and a physical
space will allow us to organize events reminiscent of 19th century salon gatherings; occasions to bring together
like-minded people, who share our interest and also collectors who may have overlooked 19th century art.
To celebrate the grand opening, our catalogue highlights 6 paintings out of the 25 we will include in our inaugural
exhibition. We view them as an “amuse bouche” of what will await you in our gallery. Each was selected to showcase
the range of artists and styles that the 19th century has to offer – from the most breathtaking example of Academic
perfection (Jean Léon Gérôme), to modern, avant-garde voices (Gustave Courbet and Giovanni Boldini), to French
Realism at its best (Jules Breton), to an understanding of how one of the most beloved pictures of the 19th century,
Flaming June, evolved into a finished painting from a small oil sketch (Frederic, Lord Leighton), and finally a work
that may just give you the willies (Hugues Merle)!

We look forward to welcoming you to Gallery 19C.

Eric Weider Polly Sartori

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