Paul Désiré TROUILLEBERT (1829-1900), An olive Tree on the sea at Menton

Paul Désiré TROUILLEBERT (1829-1900)
Olive trees by the sea in Menton
Oil on canvas
42 x 48 cm
Circa 1887

Bibliographie :

Marumo, Maier and Müllerschön, "Paul Désiré Trouillebert (1831-1900), catalogue raisonné de l'oeuvre peint ",Stuttgart, Thombe, 2004, N°0333, p. 326, reproduit

The olive tree, a timeless symbol of the Mediterranean landscape, takes center stage in this work by Paul Désiré Trouillebert (1831-1900), capturing both earthly and spiritual power. This Mediterranean landscape stands out for its originality, as the artist moved away from his usual studios in Paris and Candes-Saint-Martin in the Val-de-Loire. Set on the outskirts of Menton, this painting is part of the Barbizon School's "Revolt" against the classical tradition, which relegated landscape to a mere background. Trouillebert, influenced by the 17th-century Dutch school, sees landscape not as a mere decorative element, but as the main subject of his work. He sought to express his state of mind in them, endowing them with an almost philosophical symbolism.
Also inspired by his contemporary and friend Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot (1796-1875), he magnifies Nature by placing it at the heart of his composition. The central tree, the dense forest in the background and the prominence given to the sea under a big, stormy sky reflect the artist's admiration for John Constable (1776-1837). Trouillebert's typical composition can be found in numerous paintings exhibited worldwide, such as Rives de la Loire près de Chouzé (1883, Hermitage Museum) and Paysage (Walters Art Museum).
Following in the footsteps of Corot's last period, Trouillebert's vaporous brushstrokes use transparent effects to breathe vitality into water and sky. His creative process, typical of the Barbizon style, combines plein-air sketches and studio work. The artist also painted in a boat studio, as Claude Monet (1840-1926) did in Argenteuil and Giverny. His touch, in this view of the Menton area, is reminiscent of that of the Impressionists. For Trouillebert, a work of art is not just about capturing a fleeting moment in reality, but expressing an inner emotion through shapes and colors. He is therefore not Impressionist in spirit, but comes close in form.
The artist nonetheless retains a Romantic imprint through the emotional charge that emanates from the work. This imprint is none other than the Romantic heritage of his master Ernest Hébert (1817-1906), a close cousin of Stendhal (1783-1842) and himself a pupil of Paul Delaroche (1797-1856).