Jan B. Balet  (1913 - )

Balet
I have a Balet litho titled Musement Park from his time with Circle Fine Art. I think the paperwork dates it as from 1985. A couple at the beach, a redheaded woman, maybe one of the wives? Interesting.

Heike posting 2005
I think that the title of the piece described is
"Lady Chatterley's Driver'.
Jan had a lovely, salty sense of humor.

metroploitaine/ Orpheus
A posting from Stuart referred to a litho 'Metroploitain'. To my memory the title of that piece was 'Orpheus', the humor of course being
the man ascending from underground as did Orpheus
from the underworld.

Jan Balet dead
I heard today that Jan Baled has died in the last weeks. Somebody had seen the death notice in a Swiss newspaper. Does anybody know anything about his years in Munich or about his mother, who lived in Munich? Thanks!
Astrid

Balet
I own a Balet titled "Bang, Bang Big Shot" It is a shooting gallery and the name above the gallery is my fathers name "
Leon Gray" I had written to M. Balet and he answered that he had known my father in New York. They used to have lunch together. At the time he was Art Director at 'Mademoiselle" and later at "Seventeen' I still have the signed letter from Balet dated, January 1993.

Balet question
Thanks to Marshall for the great information...as far as anyone knows is Mr. Balet still alive and working?...thanks, Michael

jan balet bio
My wife published Balet works in the US prior to Circle. From a small book of drawings called 'Couple Sketches', I draw some bio info as someone asked.
Born Bremen, Germany 1913
1932 studied art Munich and Berlin
1935 Academy in Munich and Berlin
1938 Emigrated to USA. Jan was not Jewish, but told me he did this out of protest seeing what the Natzis were doing, being ashamed of it.
In the US he was I think art director of a mag like
Vanity Fair. He married during
this stay (I think his first wife was a redhead, which
we see in some of his works). This ended in divorce.
Balet wrote and illustrated many childrens books
during his period in the USA. In 1965 he returned
to Munich, and in 1978 moved to Estavayer-le-Lac, Switzerland. There I visited him and his second wife, Claudia. He continued
to publish graphical works and acrylics from his home
in Estavayer. I lost contact after he started publishing with Circle. He was a great person to know, with an honest, salty sense of humor which
one sees in his artworks.
His titles were a part of the humor of many works.
One mentioned in this blog, 'Metropolitain', was
actually titled ' Orpheus'
(as in ascending from the underworld), another of the lady, driver and car was titled 'Lady Chatterley's Driver'.
We still have a drawer full of Jan's lithos spanning
many years. They are fun!

Jan Balet
Jan Balet and my great aunt lived together for many years in Long Island I believe in the 60's. I have recently inherited a beautiful painting as did other people in my family. He also illustrated for many children's books. The books were really unique because there were characters in the back if the book that you could punch out and put together.

Jan Balet, artist
Is anyone familiar with his piece "Paradise Junction" .. a well dressed couple embracing and kissing at a train station... medium? I don't know. It's at a shop in town .. the only place I would have for it is above my spa tub -- would it work? Any info at all?

jan balet
I have one of his pieces, Metropolitain. It is a man carrying a violin case coming out of a subway station, with the Metropolitain sign above and a row of trees on either side fading into the background..pretty cool..greens and earth tones. At the time I traded it for a Yamagata, I think I got the worse of the deal, but its a great piece nonetheless.

jan balet
For a number of years Jan Balet was represented by Circle Fine Art - which sold both his original paintings and serigraphs/lithographs. My recollection is that he at one time worked for a fashion magazine - something like Glamour (but it wasn't that one) as the art director and lived for a while in either CT or NY. After he retired he resided in Switzerland and it was after he was retired that Circle represented him. There is a listing for him in the "World Encyclopedia of Naive Art" - ISBN: 1-55521-186-0, 1984 which has a photo of him.

Jan Balet - "Childhood Memories"
Does anyone have background info on Balet's "Childhood Memories". I believe the artist is a woman.

Jan Balet
I've got three of Balet's lithos.. I've been trying to do some research and find out something about him, but so far have only found articles and pics of his work. Any Suggestions?

Balet,s Work
I own a humerous lithography by Balet showing a chauffeur and his lady with a London Taxi in a cornfield hugging each other in a very stiff manner.
I enjoy the picture!

His art
His art is so distinct, there is no mistaking when you spot a Balet.What lithographs do you own? I have one, Ham and Ophy C 1989. It's kind of humorous, a young (large) couple sitting on a front lawn, obviously very in love.
I do enjoy his work.

Jan Balet
Really love the works of Jan Balet . Have 4 of his lithographs in my living room...