Albert Gabriel's watercolours, 1916-17

[Administrator]

Albert Gabriel (1883-1972) was a French architect, archaeologist, painter and traveller whose large body of work recently featured in a major exhibition in Istanbul.

While Gabriel's published works on his travels in the eastern Mediterranean have been widely-known for some time, his vast private collection of writings, paintings and photographs has remained untapped until recently and formed the centrepiece of the exhibition in Turkey.

Included among Gabriel's private papers are a series of beautifully-executed watercolours of Castellorizo from 1916-1917, while the island was under French occupation. Seven of these formed part of the recent display and they have also been published in the official catalogue of the exhibition.

Here is an example of one of Gabriel's watercolours of the harbour of Castellorizo in June 1916:



These paintings are the earliest known artistic representations of Castellorizo in the twentieth century. Aside from their obvious artistic quality, they constitute an elegant record of the harbour life of Castellorizo in this period.

Nicholas

[vanessa]

hi Nicholas,
Is there any way to purchase copies/prints of Gabriel's watercolours of Castellorizo?
Vanessa

[Administrator]

Vanessa,

At the present time, Albert Gabriel's estate is under the control of a trustee who not yet approved publication or copying of his artworks for commercial purposes.

However, the catalogue of the exhibition I referred to above does include seven of his watercolours of Castellorizo, including two of the bombardment of the harbour in 1917. Details of the catalogue, which is available for purchase from the publisher, are as follows:

Albert Gabriel (1883-1972), Architecte, archeologue, artiste, voyageur published by Yapi Kredi Yayinlari, Istanbul (ISBN 975-08-1131-3).

Nicholas

[vanessa]

Thanks Nicholas! I'll try to get my hands on the catalogue!

[Administrator]

Here is another one of Albert Gabriel's marvelous watercolours of Castellorizo's bustling harbour front in June 1916.

Nicholas

Attachments:

[manliopalmieri]

wonderful paintings indeed. Thanks for sharing.

Manlio

[Administrator]

Yet another magnificent Gabriel watercolour from 1916, this time of schooners (caiques) and smaller vessels moored along the quayside.



The painting gives us an idea of the level of maritime activity in the island's harbour before the impact of the hostilities was felt.

Nicholas