René Genis, The Alley of the Cypresses, 1970s, Oil on Canvas

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Oil on canvas “The Alley of the Cypresses”, René Genis, Landscape painting, 19th century. XX – France

This work by … Read more Oil on canvas “The Alley of the Cypresses”, René Genis, Landscape painting, 19th century. XX – France

This work by René Genis, a French painter known for his serene and poetic style, depicts a planted field from an unusual perspective, cut by a foreground of cypress trees. Through a skillful arrangement of the elements, the author creates depth, suggesting proximity through an incomplete cypress trunk, limited by the frame, while other trees, increasingly complete, follow one another in the background, providing a sensation of distance. This technique evokes the influence of Japanese prints.

The different cultivation plans, with land planted with different plant species at different heights, contribute to a balanced composition that covers the entire field. The blue sky, typically spring, blurs the horizon line, adding lightness and serenity to the whole. This work, like many of Genis's, fuses meticulous detail with formal harmony, offering a calm and contemplative atmosphere.

René Genis, a prominent member of the Parisian Neofigurative School, worked with a semi-transparent color palette, thus allowing better capture of light. His style, influenced by poetic realism, is characterized by the creation of landscapes that not only represent nature, but elevate it to a unique visual experience, in which the real and the poetic intertwine in a sublime way. His work has been recognized in important museums, including the Musée d’art moderne de la Ville de Paris and the Museum of Fine Arts of Lyon.

With a career that spanned several decades and multiple exhibitions, Genis left a lasting mark on contemporary art, standing out for his ability to capture the beauty of the everyday with a deeply serene gaze. The Swiss painter Andry Denzler admits to having been influenced by him. This piece, representative of his style, is an invitation to immerse yourself in the stillness of the countryside and the natural elegance that characterizes it.

René Genis (1922 – 2004)

René Genis was a French painter with a serene and poetic language. He was born on July 26, 1922 in Hué, Annam, French Indonesia (Vietnam). Genis returned with his family to Gironde, France, in 1931. Beginning in 1940, he studied for five years at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Bordeaux, which earned him a four-year scholarship to the School of Decorative Arts in Paris with Albert Marquet and Marcel Gromaire. He exhibited at the Salon de la Jeune Peinture and participated in group exhibitions throughout France. He had his first solo exhibition at the Galerie Charpentier in Paris in 1956. A painter, printmaker and illustrator, Genis taught at the College de Pontoise. From that moment on, Genis exhibited his paintings at the Salon de la Jeune Peinture, and received the prize in 1960. For forty years, he exhibited regularly at the Salon Comparaisons in Maurice Boitel's group. His first solo exhibition took place at the Charpentier Gallery in Paris in 1956. He was also a member of the Society of French Painters-Engravers.

Known for his translucent use of color in the depiction of landscapes and still lifes, Genis's work undulates between developed forms and areas of flat color. His compositions create a distinctive harmony between the depicted scene and the formal qualities of the painting, highlighting its material properties while including carefully observed real-world details. Genis is famous for his elegant still life paintings. It doesn't matter if the theme is an oriental landscape or the French countryside, it always maintains a very poetic and serene atmosphere. Along with other artists such as Guy Bardone, André Brasilier, Bernard Cathelin and Paul Guiramand, Genis is also one of the most important members of the Parisian Neofigurative School. His work is currently in the Musée d’art moderne de la Ville de Paris, the National Library of Paris, the Museum of Fine Arts of Lyon, the Yamagata Art Museum, etc. René Genis was influenced by the group of poetic realists with Christian Caillard, Jules Cavaillès, Raymond Legueult, Roger Limouse, Roland Oudot, André Planson, etc. The Swiss painter Andry admits to having been influenced by him.

René Genis died in Paris on February 25, 2004.

Technique on support: Oil on canvas
Title of the work: “The Alley of the Cypresses”
Author: René Genis
Signed in the lower right corner. Signed on the back. Signed and titled on the frame
Genre: Landscape painting
Period: Second half of the 20th century
Country of origin: France
Good condition according to its age and use
Overall dimensions: 44 x 74 cm.
Dimensions without frame: 29 x 58 cm.
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