David Delesalle

David Delesalle (1974) grew up in Northern France. After studying science and technology and graduating from art school there, he moved to the Dordogne region in southwest France, where he still lives and works. The artist enjoys alternating between painting on canvas, ink on paper, and wood engraving. As a realist fine painter, Delesalle initially focused on creating still lifes in the early 2000s, painting potatoes, turnips, radishes, and various everyday supermarket items. The life of the housewife seems to fascinate him, and the contents of her shopping basket are often among his favorite subjects. Delesalle has always been inspired by wood engraving, a technique he mastered starting in 2008. With this complex, centuries-old method, he creates images of vegetables, nails, toys, and bicycles, as well as life-sized depictions of trains and Playmobil figures—subjects that have brought him significant popularity. This has led to an endless series of humorous portraits of various characters, ranging from pirates to clowns. These figures possess a surreal, intriguing, and playful quality that almost hypnotizes the viewer. The wood engraving technique enhances this effect, giving them an even rarer and more unique character. Delesalle’s Playmobil figures appear almost human. From 2000 to 2010, David Delesalle primarily exhibited in France. After a major solo exhibition at the Bernard d’Agesci Museum in 2010, his work gradually began to reach beyond France, with selective representation at fairs and galleries across Europe.