Georges d'Espagnat (1870-1950) "Environs de Cagnes sur mer, circa 1915"

Oil on canvas signed and monogrammed lower left
Dimensions: H. 65 x W. 81 cm (with frame: H. 88 x W. 102 cm)

Born in 1870, Georges d'Espagnat is often associated with several great names in 20th century art. He could be considered as impressionist, post-impressionist, fauve or nabis. In Paris, he exhibited with Cézanne, Seurat, Chagall and Picasso. His works can be found in the collections of the greatest national museums (including the Musée d'Art Moderne and the Musée d'Orsay) and international museums (New York, Boston, Chicago, Brussels, Geneva, Moscow, Tokyo, etc.). This very prolific artist (more than 3000 works), produced mainly still lifes, nudes, but also some beautiful landscapes with or without figures. He always signed "GDE" and never dated his works.

From 1893 to 1911: GDE exhibited at the Salons des Artistes Indépendants, at the "Salons de la Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts", at numerous exhibitions at the Galerie Durand-Ruel (Paris and New York), and at the" Salon de la Libre Esthétique" in Brussels. In 1900, d'Espagnat met Maurice Denis, Pierre Bonnard and Edouard Vuillard. His collaboration with Maurice Denis led to a revival of sacred art in France.

From 1903 to 1949, the artist exhibited at the Salon d'Automne, of which he was one of the main founders, and at the Bernheim Gallery in Paris. In 1934, he was appointed professor at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, and in 1951 an important posthumous exhibition was organised for him at the Salon d'Automne in Paris.

An artist at the confluence of Impressionist and Fauvist tendencies, d'Espagnat was able to distance himself from them by creating a free-spirited work governed by the explosion of colour.

Our painting depicts a coastline on the french riviera during a beautiful summer day. It is obviously a magnificent and much sought-after subject, much rarer than the many still lifes the artist has produced. The format is large compared to the average size of d'Espagnat's works on the market.
Painted around 1915, this composition, which gives a large place to the sky and the sea, is perfectly balanced. The tree, off to one side, allows a diagonal reading and a beautiful opening on the left. In this painting, Georges d'Espagnat has used the widest possible palette of colours. The raw, thick material is reminiscent of the tones of Fauvism, with which the artist remained strongly influenced even beyond the period of this artistic movement. Here, the influence of Vuillard, Bonnard and Renoir in his last period is obvious. This is a view of the area around Cagnes where d'Espagnat regularly visited his friends Auguste Renoir and Louis Valtat. Auguste Renoir died in Cagnes sur mer in 1919.

The painting is on its original canvas, in very good condition. It is presented in its original wooden and gilded stucco frame which has been perfectly restored.

Works by Georges d'Espagnat in the Museums:

Paris, Musée d'Orsay
New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art
Boston, Museum of Fine Arts
Chicago, Art Institute
Brussels, Royal Museum of Fine Arts
Geneva, Petit Palais
Moscow, Pushkin Museum
Tokyo, National Museum of Western Art
....