Breton Wrestling Competition In Gourin By Jeanne-marie Barbey, Brittany

Oil on canvas, signed lower left. Around 1930.
Dimensions without frame: Height 73 cm, Width 92 cm.
Dimensions with frame: Height 87 cm, Width 105 cm.
Please note that you can find this painting in Paris in our annual pop-up store from March 5 to 9, 2025 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at 23 place Dauphine 75001 PARIS. This is a great opportunity to meet and discover our works in person.
Jeanne-Marie Barbey (1876 - 1960):
Jeanne-Marie Barbey, real name Louise Jeanne Marie Barbée, is a French painter and photographer, she is known for her works highlighting Brittany. Daughter of a cabinetmaker from Carhaix, and a mother from Gourin, Jeanne-Marie Barbey grew up in an environment steeped in Breton culture. She obtained several teaching diplomas in drawing between 1895 and 1907, which allowed her to become a professor in this discipline. Passionate about Brittany, she regularly spent her holidays in Gourin, with her brother Auguste, who ran the Hôtel de la Croix-Verte there. She drew inspiration for her works there, making sketches and photographs that served as the basis for her paintings. Her favourite subjects included scenes of Breton daily life, such as interiors, pardons and markets. In 1912, she began exhibiting at the Salon des Indépendants and, in 1926, became the first female member of the committee of the Société des artistes indépendants, where she held the positions of secretary-rapporteur and treasurer until 1960. Her friendship with the painter Paul Signac, president of the society, influenced her work, particularly through a sensitivity to post-impressionism. In addition to her paintings, Jeanne-Marie Barbey left behind a large collection of photographs, consisting of around 200 glass plate negatives, testifying to her interest in Breton culture. This collection is kept at the Musée de Bretagne in Rennes. After her death, her heir, Marguerite Fellows, donated 74 of her works to the Vannes museum in 1995, thus contributing to the rediscovery of this talented artist. After Marguerite's death, Jeanne-Marie Barbey's studio collection was dispersed at an auction in 2006, during which several records were set.