GEORGES ROUAULT (1871–1958)

• Probably: Martin Fabiani Collection (1899–1989), France
• Private collection, France

Olivier Nouaille and Olivier Rouault [edited by], Rouault, The Paintings, Volume III, Paris: Fondation Georges Rouault, 2021, described and reproduced under reference 2681, p. 260

Martin Fabiani was one of the leading figures in the Parisian art market during the 1930s and 1940s. A shrewd art dealer and influential businessman, he was at the heart of the artistic circles of the time, particularly following the dispersal of Ambroise Vollard’s collection after the latter’s death in 1939. In December 1941, Fabiani took over André Weil’s gallery on Avenue Matignon and quickly established himself as a major player in the Parisian art market. A regular at the Hôtel Drouot, where he worked alongside the expert André Schœller, he also developed a publishing venture dedicated to artists’ books. From 1941 onwards, he became Henri Matisse’s dealer following Paul Rosenberg’s departure for the United States, and notably published *Dessins, thèmes et variations* in 1943, a volume with a preface by Louis Aragon. Fabiani then collaborated with several major artists of the 20th century, including André Derain, André Dunoyer de Segonzac, Maurice Denis, Pablo Picasso and Aristide Maillol. As a testament to his close ties with the artists of his time, Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso painted his portrait in the early 1940s. In 1942, Georges Rouault in turn produced a portrait of him, accompanied on the reverse by a long handwritten text paying tribute to his model.