Louis Germain, Sainte-Marguerite, Lérins Islands, the Fort of the Man in the Iron Mask, 1920s, Watercolor

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French gouache and watercolour marine view of the islands off Cannes in the south of France by Louis Germain. The … Read more French gouache and watercolour marine view of the islands off Cannes in the south of France by Louis Germain. The painting is signed bottom left and is presented in a plain wood frame under glass.

This exquisite watercolour painting captures a serene maritime scene, where a group of figures navigate a vibrant blue boat across tranquil waters. The luminescent reflection of light dances upon the rippling sea, creating an atmospheric depth that draws the viewer into the composition. Dominating the background is an imposing fortress, its ancient stone walls tinged with a warm hue under the gentle embrace of sunlight, exemplifying a harmonious blend of nature and architecture. The rugged, sunlit cliff on the right provides an effective contrast to the smoothness of the water, punctuated by splashes of verdant foliage. The meticulous attention to colour and light showcases the artist's deft ability to convey mood and setting, making the artwork an evocative portrayal of a peaceful yet vibrant coastal vista. The scene encapsulates a moment of everyday life, rendered with both specificity and universality.

The Lérins Islands are a French archipelago located in the Mediterranean, in the Alpes-Maritimes department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, on the French Riviera.

The archipelago consists of two large islands: to the north, Sainte-Marguerite, the largest, famous for its fort that is said to have sheltered the Man in the Iron Mask, and to the south, Saint-Honorat, smaller, known for its monastery. Each of these main islands is accompanied by an uninhabited islet, respectively that of La Tradelière and the islet of Saint-Ferréol. The archipelago also includes a rock called Îlot de l'Ilon (or l'Îlot), located in the extreme south of Saint-Honorat, which brings the number of Lérins islands to five.

The Lérins Islands are administered by the commune of Cannes, of which, together with Le Suquet, they constitute one of the ten administrative districts. Located south-east of the Pointe de la Croisette, a stone's throw from the city, they separate the Gulf of La Napoule, to the west, from the Gulf of Juan, to the east.

Their inhabitants are the Lerinians, a gentilé referring to the archipelago as a whole

Louis Félix Joseph Germain (21 March 1897 – 21 June 1952) was a French painter and a member of the Society of Mountain Painters.

Born in Savoie, he was the son of Antoine and Marie Élise Brun, a couple of teachers, and grandson of Louis Germain and Claudine Françoise Guillon, farmers in Cessens. He spent his childhood in Haute Tarentaise, then in Chambéry. He attended the École normale d'instituteurs de Savoie in Albertville and took his first post in Cessens, the village where his father's family was from. He went to Paris to prepare for the teaching of drawing and attended the École du Louvre. He then taught as a drawing teacher, first in Chambéry, then in Rouen, and finally at the Lycée Charlemagne in Paris. He regularly returned to his mountains where he could exercise his qualities as a mountaineer and mountaineer while devoting himself to his painting. He died in Paris in 1952. This piece has an attribution mark,
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