Yannis Gaïtis (Greek, 1923-1984) Les merveilleux fous volants signed 'Gaitis' (lower right) oil on canvas 116 x 88.5 cm. Painted in 1966. Footnotes: Provenance Albrespy collection.(from Alpha magazine). Private collection, Athens. Exhibited Paris, Galerie A, personal exhibition, May 11 - June 5, 1966 (referred or illustrated in the exhibition catalogue). Paris, Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Bande Dessinée et Figuration Narrative, group exhibition, April 1967 (referred or illustrated in the exhibition catalogue). Literature Alpha magazine, January 9, 1967, p. 23 (illustrated). La Galerie des Arts review, no. 50, February 1968 (referred or illustrated). Yannis Gaitis, Catalogue Raisonné, Ioannis F. Costopoulos Foundation, Paris/Athens 2003, fig. 645, p. 190 (illustrated). In the mid-1960s Gaitis's canvases were inhabited by 'humaniform' creatures rendered in a child-like manner blending the intensity of expressionism with surrealism's witty freedom. These enchanting microcosms echo Byzantine icons depicting the lives of saints or ancient Greek vases decorated with bands of figure scenes, or even modern-age comic strips adhering to sequential frame patterns. Here, the colourful frame in the centre of the composition has an interesting story to tell. It portrays a group of friends—the artist himself, his wife, sculptress Gabriella Simosi, his daughter Loretta Gaitis, and the vendor's family—on their way to watch the movie Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines, a 1965 British period comedy film and an all-time children's favourite. This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: AR AR Goods subject to Artists Resale Right Additional Premium. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com