GILLOT CLAUDE
(1673-1722) Nationality: French Activity: Painter Average rate: Between $ 7,000 and 50,000 for drawings and between $ 40,000 and 200,000 for paintings. Born in Langres, France, Claude Gillot had however not the chance of having been Flemish as his fame would surely had been greater. Instead, he was merely known in his country as a designer of theatre costumes and a painter of carnival scenes and if history retained his name it was simply because he was Watteau's master.
It was Gillot who led Watteau to paint extraordinary genre scenes but art critics tend to forget that he also produced some interesting works.
Gillot was initiated by his father André-Jacques before coming at a young age to Paris where he studied under J.B Corneille. He then became a well known decorator working the Opera. A Dutch artist named Spoede then made him meet Watteau and both men immediately went on to nurture a strong friendship, which lasted five years. Watteau owed much to Gillot in developing his talent for painting gallant scenes as it was his master to led him to concentrate on such theme.
Gillot was himself at his best in producing scenes from the Comedia dell'Arte rather than with his first works, which were inspired by the Le Nain brothers and other Dutch painters who had specialised in the depiction of interior scenes.
Gillot and Watteau parted in 1708 for some obscure reasons and the former became an Academician seven years later after presenting a rather academic work titled “Christ about to be died to the cross”. Gillot, who had also produced numerous engravings, was however mainly absorbed by his decorative works from the day he broke off with Watteau until his death.
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