G. Le Poitevin, Tassili Rock, 1960s, Mixed Media

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This work is directly inspired by the prehistoric engravings and paintings of the Tassili n'Ajjer massif in southeastern Algeria. Georges … Read more This work is directly inspired by the prehistoric engravings and paintings of the Tassili n'Ajjer massif in southeastern Algeria. Georges Le Poitevin claims to be rooted in the Saharan rock art tradition, while adding a contemporary touch through the arrangement of the figures and the vibrancy of the colors. On a yellow and brown ochre base, several humanoid silhouettes with stylized forms are articulated: slender torsos and limbs, dynamic postures. The figures, arranged in a horizontal frieze, appear engaged in ritual scenes. Poitevin uses natural pigments enhanced with more contemporary touches: a deep green contrasts with the dominant ochre, while bright white highlights certain silhouettes whose contours are traced with a fine brush. The whole exudes a sense of ceremony or communal trance. In the lower left corner, the handwritten inscription "Rupestre du Tassili Sahara G. Le Poitevin" (Rock Art of the Tassili Sahara G. Le Poitevin).

Georges Le Poitevin was born in 1912 in Le Havre and trained at the École des Arts Décoratifs and then at the Beaux-Arts in Paris. Winner of the Abd-el-Tif Prize in 1945, he settled in Algiers, where he drew inspiration from the landscapes and cultures of the Maghreb. His stays in the Tassili n'Ajjer massif during the Henri Lhote missions in 1949–1950 and 1956–1957 shaped his style, blending rock art stylization with an ochre palette. Curator of the Tipaza Museum-Site after Algerian independence, he preserved and promoted Maghreb pictorial heritage. Returning to France in 1992, he died the following year in Puyloubier, leaving a unique legacy combining Orientalist art and Saharan aesthetics.

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Era: 1960

Very good condition


Dimensions:
Width: 90 cm
Height: 70 cm
Depth: 3 cm. See less