Lot 3209* - A213 Art Impressionniste & Moderne - vendredi, 27. juin 2025, 16h30
GUSTAVE LOISEAU
(1865 Paris 1935)
Les peupliers au bord de la rivière. 1899.
Oil on canvas.
Signed and dated lower right: G. Loiseau 99.
71 × 92 cm.
Certificate:
Provenance:
Gustave Loiseau painted "Les Peupliers au bord de la rivière" in 1899. The work depicts an impressive array of poplars on the banks of the Eure in Normandy on a sunny autumn or winter day. A light breeze stirs the upper branches of the trees, while the dense, textured surface of the painting—characterized by vigorous brushstrokes and flickering daubs of color—demonstrates Loiseau's remarkable technical mastery.
Rows of poplars are a distinctive motif in Loiseau's works of the 1890s and an essential part of the landscape in northern France. The artist was closely linked to Claude Monet and aware of the importance the poplar held for his Impressionist series of the 1880s and 1890s. Like Monet, Loiseau used trees as a means to explore the interplay of light and atmosphere and experiment with new kinds of artistic expression. As an ardent plein-air painter, he observed with a keen eye the moment when the light falls perfectly on the grass or the water's surface. In "Les peupliers au bord de la rivière," Loiseau's consummate talent for capturing light and shadow directly from nature is evident – supported by his harmonious color palette and dynamic brushwork.
Behind the beauty of this image is obscured a theme of particular significance for France. During the French Revolution, the poplar was declared the "Tree of Liberty." Paul Tucker explains: "The reasons for this choice remain unclear, but the explanation probably lies in the Latin word populus, which means both 'people' and 'popular.' Whatever the exact origin, 60,000 poplars had been planted throughout France by 1793, and countless pamphlets included the tree as a symbol of the young republic." (Translated from: Paul Tucker, Monet in the 90s, The Series Paintings, Boston 1989, p. 138). The poplar remained a political symbol in the 19th century, and to mark the 100th anniversary of the Revolution in 1889, poplars were again ceremoniously planted throughout the country.
Rows of poplars are a distinctive motif in Loiseau's works of the 1890s and an essential part of the landscape in northern France. The artist was closely linked to Claude Monet and aware of the importance the poplar held for his Impressionist series of the 1880s and 1890s. Like Monet, Loiseau used trees as a means to explore the interplay of light and atmosphere and experiment with new kinds of artistic expression. As an ardent plein-air painter, he observed with a keen eye the moment when the light falls perfectly on the grass or the water's surface. In "Les peupliers au bord de la rivière," Loiseau's consummate talent for capturing light and shadow directly from nature is evident – supported by his harmonious color palette and dynamic brushwork.
Behind the beauty of this image is obscured a theme of particular significance for France. During the French Revolution, the poplar was declared the "Tree of Liberty." Paul Tucker explains: "The reasons for this choice remain unclear, but the explanation probably lies in the Latin word populus, which means both 'people' and 'popular.' Whatever the exact origin, 60,000 poplars had been planted throughout France by 1793, and countless pamphlets included the tree as a symbol of the young republic." (Translated from: Paul Tucker, Monet in the 90s, The Series Paintings, Boston 1989, p. 138). The poplar remained a political symbol in the 19th century, and to mark the 100th anniversary of the Revolution in 1889, poplars were again ceremoniously planted throughout the country.
CHF 150 000 / 250 000 | (€ 154 640 / 257 730)
Vendu pour CHF 400 000 (frais inclus)
Information sans garantie.