Framed: 24 1/2 x 34 1/2 inches
artist
Trained as a glass maker from Clermont-Ferrand, Pierre Désiré Eugène Franc Lamy was an artist known for his landscapes drawn from his travels to Bruges and to Venice as well as for portraiture, nudes and genres.
Description
Artists from the 19th century like Lamy were traditionally expected to master the art of still lifes, and here in our example the artist has succeeded brilliantly in both defining and refining this art to the point that his autumn blossoms approach photographic reality. The picture reveals the artist's superior control of his color range and a distinctive dynamism in his juxtaposition of the different textures of the blooms as well as their diverse tonalities and iridescence. This example, a masterpiece of aesthetic beauty and technical ability, deserves close and careful study, as such works are often deceptive at first glance. The picture combines a textured or wallpapered background with a patterned tablecloth, an arrangement that defies austerity and simplicity and highlights the artist's technical abilities and proficiency.
provenance
Christie's New York, 19th Century Paintings, Drawings, and Watercolors, Lot 9, May 25, 1994
Greenwich Gallery of American Art
Private Collection, Fairfield, Connecticut