So far, my blog has been dedicated to artists I meet here in the Drôme, in other words to those who make art. This time I thought it would be interesting to interview an art dealer whose job it is to sell art.

Emiliani gallery with art works by Wohlfahrt and Boncompain

I have known Michèle Emiliani for many years. She is the owner of the Emiliani Gallery in Dieulefit. Arriving in town by road from Montélimar, you take the avenue “Les Allées” and at about a hundred meters before the roundabout at the other end, a short path to the right leads down to a long building where the gallery is located. As soon as you enter, you know you have come to the right place to see art of excellent quality. If she is not attending to a visitor, Michèle will be sitting just behind the front door to greet you with a friendly smile. She has a handsome face and the look of someone who knows her business. Over time, I have come to appreciate her taste and professionalism. The choice of the works on exhibition is proof of her know-how and her good relations with a circle of high standing artists such as Pierre Boncompain, Jacques Pouchain, Michel Wohlfahrt, Patrice Giorda, Patrick Devreux, André Cottavoz and many others. Some of them have international reputations, and the fact that they keep coming back to her is a sure sign of trust and the good understanding they have with her. That is how she came to accompany Boncompain to China where he exhibited at the Shanghai Museum.

Chevrette, 120 x 100 cm

Many people believe that an art gallery has a special aura, the kind that makes a good subject for romantic films! They believe that to rub shoulders with artists who are supposedly (but not always) so interesting and original is bound to be fascinating, for they live in a world full of creativity, and spend their time in an environment that bathes in beauty and significance. This is partly true, but behind the glamourous façade running a gallery is a lot of hard work, having to overcome many obstacles and spending long hours doing dull routine tasks. I know, as I have managed a gallery with two friends in The Hague in Holland for a number of years. Selecting the right artists and visiting their studios takes time and discernment… Inversely, it is also not always easy to master the art of saying no to the artists who knock at the door of the gallery in view of an exhibition. Dealing with the requirements of those who have been accepted and getting them to agree to the terms of an exhibition can often be a complicated affair, requiring diplomacy and firmness. In addition to the normal procedures of any commercial enterprise, there is the need for good publicity which involves designing and printing posters, relations with the press, updating long lists of potential visitors and dispatching invitations on time for exhibitions, keeping in touch with art lovers who show a particular interest in one or other of the artists associated with the gallery, being permanently present for the duration of the exhibition to welcome visitors and ensure sales on the spot, and so on. Summing up there is not much time to dream!

Cottavoz, 96 cm x 86 cm

I sometimes wonder how Michèle manages all this work on her own. But, backed by her long experience, she seems to do it effortlessly, or at least that is the impression she gives. In the beginning, there was nothing to suggest that she would one day become a successful gallery owner. It was by chance that a well-known painter, whom she had met when she was young, suggested that she become a travelling saleswoman for his work. It meant giving up a good job, but the challenge and the adventure appealed to her and so Michèle accepted and took on the new task with enthusiasm. This first period as an art dealer was successful, and from one meeting and sale to the next, she built up a network that reached into London’s high society. Michèle also ran an art gallery in Avignon for a while before deciding to set one up of her own in La Bégude-de-Mazenc. Her husband Serge, who worked in the pharmaceutical industry, decided to follow her example and opened a gallery in Dieulefit in 1990. From then on, they shared the workload, each being responsible for the choice of the artists who exhibited in their respective galleries. Despite the ups and downs inherent in the market-sensitive nature of the business they were involved in, both galleries flourished until Serge’s sad death in 2005. Michèle then decided to go it alone. She gave up La Bégude and moved on to the Galerie Emiliani in Dieulefit, where you can now find her.

Pouchain, 27 x 35 cm

I also wonder how it is possible for Michèle to run a gallery as large as hers. I looked up some figures on the Internet that struck me as likely to affect galleries as we know them today in the future. There are about 2000 contemporary art galleries in France and 60,000 registered visual artists. 80% of gallery owners say their income is falling, while the art market is growing by 20% a year. This expansion could be due to more sales through art fairs, auctions and the Internet. As far as the latter are concerned, it is a fact. The figures clearly show a significant increase in online sales, 15% per year. To some extent, the isolation caused by Covid may have been one of the first factors to open the way for this trend. If it continues, it will be bad news for galleries, which are already struggling to make ends meet. However, I don’t think Michèle’s class needs to worry too much. True art lovers will always want to see the works they like, in order to “touch them with their eyes”. Other sources offer a rather odd explanation for the growth. They say that more and more people feel the need to own a work o f art because it is something meaningful to hold on to and feel reassured in troubled and uncertain times like ours. I leave it to neurologists and psychologists (or parapsychologists ?) to confirm or refute this hypothesis. Who knows?

Giorda, 72 cm x 115 cm

As for Michèle, even if she sometimes stops to think about finding a successor to take over the Emiliani Gallery, it will hopefully remain in her capable hands as long as possible.