Victor Di Gesu

Victor Di Gesu (American, 1914–1988).

This winner of the Prix Othon Friesz first attended the Los Angeles Art Center and the Chouinard Art School before moving to Paris where he studied with Andre L’Hote and Yves Brayer at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière. During his time in Paris, Victor Di Gesu exhibited extensively at the salons including at the Exposition des Artistes Etrangères, the Grand Palais of the Salon d'Automne, the Salon des Arts Décoratifs and at the Louvre Museum. He subsequently moved to Barcelona to study at the Escuela de Bellas Artes before furthering his studies at the Studio Hinna in Rome. Returning to California, he worked with a variety of artists including F. Tolles Chamberlain and Maynard Jepson.

Already an intuitive colorist, Di Gesu’s classical training and scientific research into color theory allowed him to create vivid yet harmonious works which, while reminiscent of Matisse and Gauguin, revealed a verve and spontaneity that remain uniquely his own. A prolific artist, Victor Di Gesu was the recipient of numerous medals and juried awards, both in the United States and in France. After his return to California, he continued to exhibit widely and with success, including at the San Francisco Museum of Art, the Carmel Art Association and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

Stamped verso with Victor di Gesu estate stamp