1932 - 2020

"  I was only eight years old when I became completely in love with art. I think the magic of watching something take form from my own hand was the addictive element. Then as the love developed for my art I became fascinated with music, I practiced my guitar and sang the songs that made me happy. Music and art were all that existed for me. By my early teenage years I discovered girls, wow, they were really wonderful creatures! I never looked back, the desire and love has never faltered and I have spent alifetime pursuing and understanding these three gifts.  I have been with some of the most wonderful and famous women on the planet, and I have had the good fortune to achieve success as a singer and then as a fine artist. To pursue the pleasures and emotional rewards of endeavors that feed the heart and achieve success is a life of unexpected joy. The years in other countries and societies, connecting to the peoples of other cultures has been another realm of great satisfaction, and the adventures of sailing around the world has been the frosting on the cake.  In my biography I attempt to share all of the adventures and feelings that have been given to me, the gift of this special time on earth, so that perhaps others can abandon some of the shackles of their life, and find some new frontier."        -  Christian Title

Renowned artist Christian Title (1932-2020) left an indelible mark on the art world, shaped by a journey that began in the vibrant landscapes of Los Angeles. A gifted draftsman at a very young age, he always knew he wanted to pursue a life in the arts. After honing his craft at the Art Center College of Design and Woodbury College, Christian's quest for artistic enlightenment led him to the Beaux-Arts Academie in Paris in 1952. This experience in Europe was truly magical, unearthing a profound love for the Impressionists that lasted a lifetime. Immersed in the Paris museums and studios of iconic masters like Andre L’Hote and Oskar Kokoschka and Herbert Gaillard,  he showcased his abilities with a solo exhibition at the Rene Drouet Gallery in 1954. Venturing further into academia, Christian earned a doctorate at Sorbonne University in 1955 focused on the French Impressionists, solidifying his place as a scholarly artist. This education and extensive exposure to the finest paintings would prove vital in the coming years when his focus would turn to buying and selling historical Impressionist works. Never afraid to experiment and push his creative boundaries, his extensive exploration of impressionism, fauvism, and modernism during this period of his life bore witness to a distinctive artistic voice that evolved over his illustrious career of more than 70 years.

Upon his return to California in 1957, Christian continued to produce remarkable impressionist works which were exhibited around the country, with notable shows at the Hammer Gallery in New York and Frederic Hobbs Gallery in San Francisco. It was at this time that he also embarked on a successful career as an art dealer. Founder of De Ville Galleries, which operated for 53 years in Los Angeles, he focused on the works of European and American impressionists such as Childe Hassan, Cecelia Beaux , Willard Metcalf, Theodore Robinson, Edmund Tarbell and Frank Benson. He saw tremendous value in the American Impressionists that were largely overlooked at the time compared to their European counterparts, and De Ville Galleries became well recognized for handling  the finest examples available and bringing tremendous awareness to the quality of these artists. It was the only gallery in the country at the time that specifically focused on the American Impressionist movement. He spent countless days at the New York auction houses building new relationships, educating himself and continuously hunting for the best works of art across the country. There was nothing more exciting than discovering a great painting in the dusty corner of an antique store that hadn’t been noticed in decades. Over the course of more than 50 years, Christian and De Ville Galleries were instrumental in building  many high-profile Museum and private collections, as well as launching the careers of notable contemporary artists such as John Powell, Don Hatfield and Henri Plisson.  During these years time devoted to painting became more limited due to the demands of being an art dealer, however, it was well spent in the study of famous paintings and the ability to collect the finest examples of leading Impressionist works. This intimate relationship with great paintings, without the pressure to sell, was a major factor in the development of Christian’s individual artistic style.

Christian's insatiable curiosity and sense of adventure manifested in his passion for sailing and travel. In 1996, he, alongside his wife Joyce, embarked on an extraordinary journey sailing from Rhode Island to New Zealand, capturing the essence of their experiences through drawings and sketches. From Trinidad to Venezuela, Fiji to New Caledonia, he was inspired to capture the beauty and new cultures he was experiencing in a different way, departing from his traditional impressionist work, delving into more abstract artistic expressions purely driven by imagination. An accomplished author, he also created several books on his drawings and creative process during these years. Christian’s sharp sense of humor and fascination with human psychology helped to fuel this new direction in his art for the next 35 years.

A true patron and lover of the arts, Christian Title's lifelong dedication to creativity is immortalized in his extensive body of work. From his traditional and Modern paintings, to his contribution to the world of American Impressionism, he left a tremendous mark on the art world. Christian and Joyce split their time between Somis, CA and  the Quarry golf community in La Quinta, CA until his passing on April 10, 2020. Even in his later years, he continued to push boundaries, leaving an enduring legacy that invites viewers into the captivating realm of his imagination. Explore the artistic legacy of Christian Title at www.christiantitlefineart.com.

CHRONOLOGY

1932 - Born in Los Angeles, California 

1950 - Enters Art Center school studying Commercial Art 

1951 - Studies at Woodbury College. Sends portfolio of drawings and photographs to the Beaux-Arts Academie in Paris 

1952 - Travels to Paris, enrolls at the Beaux-Arts Academie and the Sorbonne University. Works in various studios taking sketch & classes and painting with teachers and other artists. Takes classes with Adre L'Hote. Enrolls in the Academie Julian, taking sketch classes in the evenings and paintings instruction form Pierre Jerome. 

1953 - Continues classes at the ecole des Beaux-Arts and the Sorbonne University; starts the first series of landscapes in the city. Exhibit paintings at the American Student Center. Becomes a leader and Vice President of the American Student Artists of Paris. Spends the summer in London. Studies with Oskar Kokoschka. 

1954 - Continues studies in Paris and works with Herbert Gaillard. Spends hours each day at the Galeries du Jeu de Paume studying the master impressionist painters. Continues to paint outdoors infusing the work with the lessons learned by studying the work of Monet and Pissarro. Exhibits first paintings at the Rene Drouet Gallery. Shows a series of landscapes and figures in the park at the Galerie des Beaux-Arts. Spends the summer sailing a boat back from the border country in Scotland to the Touring Club de France beneath the Alexander the Third bridge. Lives aboard for two years. Starts the river series. 

1955 - Graduates the Beaux-Arts Academie and spends most of the time painting at the Academie Julian. Continues at the Sorbonne University. Takes quick sketch classes nightly at the Grand Chomiere Academie. Finishes thesis for Doctorate on the French Impressionists. Spends the summer taking classes at the University of Heidelberg in Germany, then travels to Rome to work with American painter friend, Arthur Hill, at the Bella Institute. 

1956 - Sails and travels extensively making sketches and paintings. Visits with Juan Miro in Palma de Mallorca. 

1957 - Rents studio at 5444 Hollywood Boulevard. Becomes friends and works with Nicolai Fechin and Rico Lebrun. Works with artists, Paul Gerchik and Milton Gershgoren, at the Hollywood Boulevard studio. Opens DeVille Galleries. 

1958 - One man exhibit at the Perreau-Saussine Gallery in Los Angeles; has critical acclaim. Exhibits in group show. Included in the show were works by Edouard Manet, Pablo Picasso, and Theodore Rousseau at the Perreau-Saussine Gallery. 

1959 - Exhibits paintings at the Hammer Galleries in New York City. 

1960 - Has one-man exhibit at the Frederic Hobbs Gallery in San Francisco. 

1962 - Exhibits in four man show in San Francisco with Milton Gershgoren, Paul Gerchik, and Addie Newman at the Gildea Gallery. Starts to exhibit the American Impressionist painters at the DeVille Galleries; is influenced by the artists that are exhibited. Shows paintings by Edward Hopper, Guy Pene du Bois, and Reynolds Beal. With the friendship and help of collectors, Martin and Helen Rackin, a major collection of French impressionist paintings are exhibited. Works from the Stanley Kramer collection and others are exhibited with Edith Head hosting the show. Major works by the masters, for the first time, can be taken to the studio and studied. 

1963/1985 - Pursues the best of the American impressionist painters; Exhibits consistently the works of Childe, Hassam, Willard Metcalf, Theodore Robinson, Edmund Tarbell, Frank Benson, William Merritt Chase, Cecilia Beaux, and other leaders of the American impressionist movement. During these years painting time is limited because of the demands of an art dealer; but the time is well spent in the study of famous works and the ability to collect the finest examples of the leading artists' works. This intimate relationship with great paintings, without the pressure to sell, was a major factor in the development of an individual impressionist style. 

1967 - Exhibits at the Visconti Gallery in Paris. Exhibits at the Rene Drouet Gallery in Paris, and the Kantor Gallery in London. 

1978 - Starts painting full-time. Finishes seven year project designing and building home and studio in Malibu, California. 

1981 - Works in Paris for the summer. Ships all works back to California. Starts planning for 1988 Los Angeles exhibition. 

1985/1986 - Exhibits paintings at the Grand Central Galleries in New York City. 

1988 - Continues to live and work in Malibu. 

1989 - Exhibits at the Enatsu Gallery, Tokyo, Japan. Exhibits at the Maxwell Gallery, San Francisco. 

1990 - Exhibits at Grand Central Galleries, New York City. 

1992 - Exhibits twenty hand pulled serigraphs at Art Expo, New York City. 

1994 - New Figurative work exhibited for the first time, DeVille Galleries, Los Angeles. 

1995 - Begins to paint almost exclusively in the abstract figurative style. 

1996 - Sails from Rhode Island to Trinidad, sketching and painting watercolor of the islands. 

1997 - Sails to Venezuela - paints the local scenes. 

1998 - Rents a studio and apartment in Paris - continues the abstract figurative work. 

1999 - Sails from Venezuela to New Zealand with his wife Joyce, completes a series of drawings while crossing the Pacific Ocean. 

2000 - Closes the DeVille Galleries. 

2002 - Builds a home and studio overlooking the sea in New Zealand. Sails to New Caledonia and Vanuatu - tropical imagery starts to invade the work. 

2003 - Sails to Fiji and the Line Islands - starts to paint the reflection of the native persona. 

2004 - Furnishes the completed New Zealand home, and begins in the new studio working from the sketches of the Pacific trip. 

2006 - Buys a home in Somis, California. 

2007 - Sells the Malibu home, and move to Somis, California.