Galerie Protée, Paris

HOW IT ALL BEGAN

In 1959, Jacques Pulvermacher inaugurated the gallery “At Home” in Toulouse.
It’s vocation was to promote the “arts of the earth” and art jewellery, both at a peak of creativity at that time. The Roman caverns that formed the basements were fitted out to serve as art galleries. In this very conservative – not to say hostile – cultural environment, he nevertheless exhibited engravings by Picasso, Derain, de Staël, Magnelli and put on individual exhibitions of Poliakoff, Marfaing, Zack, Zao Wou-ki. In 1969, Laurence Izern opened the Galerie Protée just opposite “At Home”, which was still going strong. Hartung, Soulages, Tapiès, Schneider, Victor Brauner ... could be viewed in the Galerie Protée, which turned out to be a more effective showplace because it gave directly on to the street. Gradually, “At Home” merged its art gallery activity with Protée, and in 1984 the two combined forces for good and brought the Galerie Protée to the Rue de Seine in Paris. “At Home” gave up its activity in Toulouse, though Protée continued there until 1997. Laurence Izern is still an expert at the Appeal Court in Toulouse.

You won’t find conceptualists, minimalists, or video artists. The Gallery is a staunch and faithful defender of painting above all else, never changed by passing fads. Our artists maintain a love for painting, believe it to be an infinite resource, don’t think that the search for beauty or lyricism is reprehensible, and favour communication through sensitivity rather than intellectual demonstration.