Born in Pairs, Robert Chailloux’s artistic talent was evident from a young age. He attended the Ecole Speciale de Dessin d’Boulevard Belleville in Paris, and then the Ecole des Arts Decoratifs. In his early career, Chailloux painted wonderful pastel and gouache en plein air studies of a variety of French fishing ports, but sadly he developed a very bad curvature of his spine which restricted his mobility and eventually confined him to his studio. In his later life, Chailloux would never part with these en plein air works for he enjoyed the memories they bought back. Chailloux’s desire to paint was so deeply entrenched that he switched to painting still lifes, for which he won many major awards. In 1940, Chailloux became a member of the Salon des Artistes Français,and began exhibiting regularly. The recognition his work received, allowed him the opportunity to enter the Salon de la Nationale Exposition of 1943. In 1945, he exhibited at the Salon de Independence and became a member of the Salon de la Marine where he was invited to show his collection of nautical still life’s and marine compositions from the early part of his career.

Herbert Fuller, of Gladwell & Company in London, came across Chailloux’s paintings in the Paris Salons of the 1950s and acquired his charming still lifes over many years. For over forty years, Herbert’s son Anthony paid regular visits to Chailloux’s studio, firstly in Paris and then subsequently at his home in the countryside near Dourdan, and he cherishes his memories of their time together. “Chailloux was truly one of the nicest people I have had the great pleasure of knowing. Every visit to his studio was a treasured encounter... I will never forget his hidden stash of whisky pulled up from a hole in the lawn which we shared on my visits” - Anthony Fuller, Chairman.