The paintings of Philippe Charles Jacquet exist in a nether world between waking and dreaming. The same motifs appear and reappear. There are distant figures, isolated houses, abandoned boats, moody skies. 

 

The effect is hypnotic. Where does it come from? Philippe has a pretty unconventional back story. His success came relatively late. He was born in Paris in 1957, and studied at the Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs before enjoying a long career as an architect. 

 

When he left to become a full time artist, he didn't entirely leave his vocation behind. Philippe's paintings are full of architectural detail. They feature symmetrical buildings and geometric landscapes, which he offsets with rich colours, textures and surfaces. Philippe says the rivers and granite buildings are inspired by the Brittany region, where he spent much of his childhood.

 

Philippe's technique is also different. He is self-taught and has developed a unique method using gloss paint. He starts by covering his plywood surface with a base of off-white and achieves his vivid textures via a range of improvised methods. He even uses a razor blade to scratch away at the surface.

 

Philippe arrives this side of the channel with a big reputation on the French art scene. He has also hosted sell-out shows in the US. In January we exhibited a small number of Philippe's paintings at the London Art Fair.  They sold out.   So we're delighted to present the brand new 2026 collection.