Jean-Baptiste Cariven, painter and sculptor, whose works have been forgotten for more than a century, will be in the spotlight in a major exhibition next summer. The descendants of the artist call for donations to restore his paintings for this exceptional event.
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It is the story of a family closely linked to art. The descendants of Jean-Baptiste Cariven, painter from the end of the 19th century, call for the generosity of donors to keep his legacy alive. Pitted and damaged, the artist’s many engravings and paintings have suffered the ravages of time. They require renovation to find all their shards. An expensive operation, nearly 8,000 euros to pay to keep about fifteen paintings.
However, it is impossible for the painter’s heirs to think of abandoning the work of their ancestor. “It is essential, it is a duty for me and for the next generation to keep what has been done and to honor the memory of my ancestor“, explains Pauline Fabre, the artist’s great-great-granddaughter.
Together, the painter’s heirs had the idea of creating an online kitty, to finance half of the work. Almost 1,500 euros out of 4,000 have already been collected. This money has made it possible to renovate five canvases for a major exhibition dedicated to the artist next summer, at the Museum of Fine Arts and the Abbey Museum of Gaillac.
The opportunity to share in the eyes of all, the works of the painter, forgotten until then in his studio. “What moves me is that a century after his death, he will have posthumous recognition “, explains Louis-Alexandre Fabre, great-grandson. An accomplishment for this family, dedicated to making known the creative genius of their grandfather.
Exhibition “Jean-Baptiste Cariven, a singular artist of the end of the century”, from July to September 2022, Museum of Fine Arts and Museum of the Abbey of Gaillac.