All rights reserved
Email: [email protected]

GrandChapeau logo – iconic hat representing the artist

Welcome to
Grand Chapeau.

Paintings as inner passages,
where spirituality, silence, and memory meet in a quiet light.

This site shows you some of my oil-paintings.
To see one particular artwork, please click below:

Or, simply scroll down to see the gallery.
I hope you enjoy the visit.

The tool for oil painting

A brief introduction
I am a French engineer specializing in data science, currently living in Łódź, Poland. My journey into oil painting began rather unexpectedly during a family painting session on holiday in Agay, bathed in the radiant light of the french Côte d’Azur. That first encounter with the brush was a revelation, and ever since, painting has become a central part of my life.
My work explores the interplay of vibrant colors and contrasts, inviting the viewer to look beyond the surface and discern subtle symbols and narratives. I strive to create visual spaces where imagination and interpretation come to life. Each piece is a unique dialogue between inspiration and emotion, shaped by the rich cultural landscapes that surround us.

Candle Light          (50cm x 70cm, 2026)

Candlelight – abstract oil painting by GrandChapeau depicting warm, intimate light and shadow with candles

The light doesn't come from the flame, it comes from the candles themselves. In other words, it reveals everything without showing a thing.This work embodies the artist’s mastery of gesture and material, presented in a 50×70 cm format that commands presence. Layers of paint overlap and intersect, with light emerging through a nuanced interplay of warm and cool tones.
The palette knife carves sharp edges and vibrant surfaces, producing a dynamic rhythm that engages the viewer on multiple levels.
The composition’s chromatic richness and structural depth create a contemplative tension, drawing the observer into a personal, sensory experience. Each layer, each mark, speaks to both discipline and intuition, reflecting the delicate balance between control and spontaneity that defines the artist’s vision.Positioned within the contemporary abstract market, this painting represents a premium collectible, combining technical excellence, expressive intensity, and singular artistic voice. It is a work that not only commands attention but invites reflection—a painting that reveals its complexity over time.

Chromatic Detail

This detail shows the chromatic complexity of an oil-painting work

Let’s talk a bit about technique…I love colors. In my creations, I use all possible palettes, except for rare exceptions.
With oil paint, a small amount on the palette can be mixed to achieve the desired tones or applied directly to the canvas. However, one must be careful—not to mix too much, or it all turns brown!
I paint exclusively with a knife. For the base layer, I use a long-blade knife to spread the paint, smoothing the surface and preventing unexpected knife jumps. Sometimes the base is uniform; other times, I use several colors. I often reuse still-fresh paint from previous works to avoid unnecessary waste.For detail work, I use a small diamond-shaped knife, with a blade barely two centimeters long. Once the base is painted and dry, I may sketch a shape—especially for my cubist works. At that point, patience is key to "coloring in" and mastering long, straight lines.

The Ghost Ship          (30cm x 70cm, 2019)

Ghost Ship – mysterious oil painting of a ship at sea by GrandChapeau

In the mist float light shadows,
  Silhouettes of ships
    With solitary masts.
  Their sails brush
The wind’s embrace,
  Beneath the moon,
    An almost latent calm.
  The waves whisper
Distant secrets,
  Like lost voices, erased. It is morning.
    And in the sea, both clear and misty,
         A reflection appears, fragile, voiceless.

Poppies          (55cm x 55cm, 2019)

Poppies – vibrant oil painting of red poppies in a field by GrandChapeau

Poppies are beautiful flowers... they celebrate nature's blossoming.

Aurochs          (110cm x 70cm, 2023)

Aurochs – prehistoric-style expressive oil painting of an aurochs by GrandChapeau

Here, the story is about a personal experience.I have a deep admiration for my ancestors, the prehistoric painter-engineers.
This large painting took me about sixty hours to complete.
How did they manage, these geniuses, without electricity, without stores to buy materials, already nomadic, and without photography?Did they have a specific role, or did they, like everyone else, hunt the mammoth and then, upon returning, "paint" for a while?

A Cottage in the Countryside          (90cm x 80cm, 2023)

A Cottage in the Countryside – serene oil painting of a rural cottage by GrandChapeau

“The beautiful is that which pleases universally without a concept.” (Immanuel Kant)The dominant tones of yellow and green infuse the scene with a luminous, optimistic energy, while the subtle touches of violet, blue, and other colors enrich the composition, drawing the eye. This creates a visual rhythm that both captivates and calms.
The absence of any obvious logic within the painting leaves ample space for the viewer’s imagination. The diffused rectangles open up a myriad of interpretations, symbolizing a world that is at once structured and chaotic. The juxtaposition of elements — the cottage, the water, the sun, the butterflies — invites us to contemplate the hidden connections between things, even when they are not immediately visible in a rational sense.
The red sun commands attention, lending the piece an almost cosmic dimension. Its unusual hue suggests an intense energy, perhaps marking a culmination or the end of a cycle.

The Timeless Glow          (50cm x 70cm, 2024)

In the soft glow of a secret smile,
She offers a mystery, peaceful and true.
Her gaze lowered with delicate style,
Shadow and Light blend in a tender hue.
A fur cloak, refined in every way,
Brushes her being with graceful ease.
Her gathered hair, sculpted and staid,
Whispers of harmony, calm as the breeze.
In the mirror, a quiet reflection gleams,
Revealing itself in a gentle stream.
Six forget-me-nots, a sacred ring,
Mark the path of a soul to spring.
Thus, this painting, bathed in light,
Weaves time and space into calm delight.
A thread unites, almost unseen,
The fleeting now with the eternal scene.

Aurora Fulminis          (60cm x 80cm, 2019)

Aurora Fulminis – dramatic oil painting depicting cosmic and emotional tension by GrandChapeau

Feel the tension between cosmic and intimate forces, portraying a confrontation between what is buried within us and what bursts to the surface.The lightning, personified as a fragile, wavering giant, becomes a metaphor for primordial impulses and energies: a blend of desire, anger, and revelation.The field of cornflowers, peaceful and rooted, acts as a projection of what is conscious, visible, and controlled. It is an anchor amidst inner or outer turmoil. Yet, this fragile field is on the front lines, exposed to the impact of thunder and the raw energy of lightning.The white flashes, haloed in red, represent emotional catharsis: a moment when repressed tensions find an outlet. This luminous explosion could be interpreted as a manifestation of the unconscious suddenly surfacing, disrupting the balance but also paving the way for transformation.The multicolored sky suggests the passage from darkness to awakening. It invites us to face the unknown, to embrace the fragmentation and contradictions of being, while finding balance within this instability.

The Virgin And The Child          (50cm x 70cm, 2023)

by GrandChapeau

This example of cubism does not aim to play with the viewer. However, if the title didn't announce it, it wouldn't always be obvious what the painting represents.In this work, the biblical scene is depicted through a geometric deconstruction. The Virgin, with her long tunic or perhaps seated on a rock, is revealed through a series of triangles in homogeneous colors. The faces retain a sense of human warmth, while the Star of Bethlehem brings a divine light.The broken shapes and fragmented colors symbolize the multiple facets of faith and humanity. Each triangle could be seen as a quest for understanding, an invitation to look beyond appearances and touch something deeper and more spiritual. The Star of Bethlehem reminds us that divine light can appear in various forms, and perhaps this abstraction helps us see sacred motherhood in a new light.What does this painting evoke for you?

Old Polish House          (47cm x 37cm, 2019)

by GrandChapeau

I look at this Polish house every day from my window.It is over one hundred and fifty years old.
Called “Starówa” by its inhabitants, it stands as a quiet witness to time. Its walls remember lives full of twists and turns—forced departures, new beginnings, intertwined stories, despite the scars of the past.
Today, it holds more than just bricks and timber—it carries the echoes of those who had to leave and those who came to live here. Across generations, gestures of respect have emerged, transcending memories.This painting captures not only its physical presence but also what cannot be seen: the layers of time, shared silences, and the hope that memory can unite rather than divide.

Le Regard          (40cm x 40cm, 2019)

by GrandChapeau

From the shadows, an animal silhouette emerges.
Indefinable yet strangely familiar.
Its long snout, formidable canines, and russet fur
sketch the contours of a wild creature.
It is, however, its eye—profound and haunting—that captivates
the gaze.
A human-like stare, laden with meaning, like a silent echo
between the beast and man.
Is it the wisdom of an ancient being?
A trace of sorrow? Resignation? Defiance?
Before it, indifference is impossible.
It watches, it questions, it challenges.
And you, what do you see in this gaze?

La Porte au Fantôme          (80cm x 60cm, 2025)

by GrandChapeau

Oil on canvas; where words fall silent…
At the center of this work stands a stone doorframe. Its solid structure contrasts with a fluid background, vibrant with colors and textures, embodying the tension between order and the unknown.
From the opening emanates a golden light, as if inviting the viewer to cross a threshold into another reality. This passage is not merely physical; it is symbolic and spiritual. Within this clarity, a face appears, calm yet direct in its gaze, welcoming the reflection of anyone who takes the time to truly look.The surrounding environment, saturated with warm, shifting hues, suggests constant transformation—a fertile instability. The steps at the foot of the door evoke progression: an ascent toward the light, an intimate initiation.This painting invites contemplation. It is not only about seeing, but about perceiving what emerges between the forms—an open space of presence where words fall silent. A presence that is at once intimate, spiritual, and universal.

A Flying Boat           (94cm x 94cm, 2020)

by GrandChapeau

This painting represents a metaphorical journey.The boat appears to move through an introspective voyage. The sun, imposing in its presence, symbolizes a source of truth or energy, evoking a cycle of rebirth.The water flowing beneath the boat, aligned with the sun, suggests purification.The asymmetrical oars reflect an imbalance, an imperfect yet determined progression. The green clouds add an air of mystery, briefly obscuring the brilliant clarity of this sunrise or sunset.The richness of the warm hues infuses vitality and hope, embodying the idea that every transition, though marked by challenges, leads to a soothing and revealing light.

At the Threshold of the Turn           (70cm x 80cm, 2019)

by GrandChapeau

At the Threshold of the TurnShe walks lightly,
along the golden thread of time.
On the left — a half-open gate,
breathing in silence.
She could turn, return,
lose herself somewhere else…
But for now she keeps walking,
hidden beneath the red flame of her own mystery.

The Wayward Bird           (40cm x 40cm, 2024)

by GrandChapeau

"The bird wanders through the ocean of flowers
Under the frozen wind it glimpses its shadow."
The painting captures a suspended moment, where the sandpiper seems lost in a vast field of flowers, far from its usual environment.The bird appears to question its own shadow. This encounter marks a moment of awareness: it cannot escape itself. The shadow is both memory and destiny, an inseparable presence that reminds it of where it comes from and asks where it is going. It embodies what we flee from and what inevitably catches up with us.Yet, the golden hue is not in total contrast with the light gray of the shadow, nor with the bright green of the field. This feeling of being lost transforms into a subtle revelation: the bird already belongs to this space. Its body blends like a natural light, as if this flowered field had always been within it. The space that seemed foreign becomes an inner mirror, a necessary stage before resuming its flight.In this way, may this silent journey resonate differently for the one—or perhaps especially the one—who crosses its gaze.

The Woman and the Hummingbird           (50cm x 70cm, 2019)

by GrandChapeau

In the soft light,
Time stands still.
The woman contemplates
A hummingbird.
It spreads its wings without beating them.
Life calls.
This is not a gentle harmony,
Nor a bond that endures.
The glass behind bears witness to the passage,
Towards the infinite journey.
The flowers, the cook,
These are the days that follow.
But in this moment, there is
A tender light.

Boat with mosaic effect           (40cm x 40cm, 2024)

by GrandChapeau

There is so much to say about this small painting, which is full of secrets.First and foremost, it is a tribute to Roman mosaics.Moreover, the arrangement of the stars is no coincidence; it represents the southeastern portion of the night sky visible on October 27, 1999, in Versailles. Would you recognize the alignment of Aldebaran (Alpha Tauri), Saturn, and Jupiter with the Moon to the right? The Pleiades? Cassiopeia? Andromeda? The Big and Little Dippers? Orion?For those curious about the technique, the background imitates slate, evoking the night. The "colored stones" used for the mosaic are small lumps of oil paint, all applied with a palette knife.

Breath of Life           (40cm x 40cm, 2023)

by GrandChapeau

Painted at Dramont, on the French Riviera, this painting unfolds within a familiar Mediterranean landscape.

Light delineates three symbolic spaces.
The sky first, fragmented and vibrant, crossed by flashes that evoke the instability of time and movement.
The earth next, blooming, bathed in warm, sunny colors, grounded in a tangible, life-giving presence.
Between them, the tree rises like a living axis — a link between rootedness and becoming, stability and constant change.

The material, shaped with a palette knife, intensifies this tension. It captures a moment where nature almost loudly affirms a renewed silence.
In a word: light transforms matter into the breath of life.

The Evening Sentinels           (50cm x 80cm, 2023)

by GrandChapeau

With its shadow, the rock feeds the fury.
But the shepherd keeps watch,
While the irises still rebel.
Amaryllis and delphiniums mark the way,
And the constellations rise from the umbellifers.
The cornflowers brush, of their own accord,
The mighty totems.

Gargoyle           (40cm x 40cm, 2021)

by GrandChapeau

Of stone, upon her pedestal,
she guards a thought.
She was believed monstrous --
she is ancient.
Her angles are scars,
her smile, a knowing wink.
I believe she keeps
what we let slip away.

Exhibitions

MOK Konstantynów Łódzki, Poland — Solo Exhibition "Between Shadow and Light", 2025
Vic-sur-Seille, France — Group Exhibition "Renc'Art", 2025

International Recognitions

Luxembourg Art Prize — Certificate of Artistic Achievement, 2020Luxembourg Art Prize — Certificate of Artistic Achievement, 2025

by GrandChapeau

Note: This certificate was awarded under my legal name. “Grand Chapeau” is my artistic pseudonym on this site.