Lucien Mainssieux, Landscapes with sea. Two paintings on hardboard, one is signed., Circa 1935

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These paintings "Landscape" are 2 oils on hardboard by noted French fauvist artist Lucien Mainssieux 1885-1958. One of the two … Read more These paintings "Landscape" are 2 oils on hardboard by noted French fauvist artist Lucien Mainssieux 1885-1958. One of the two is signed at the lower left corner by the artist, the other one is unsigned. The The board size is 11.85 x 16.65 inches, framed is 20.25 x 24.25 inches. They are in very good condition.

About the artist.

Lucien Mainssieux is a French painter, born on August 4, 1885 and died on July 8, 1958 in Voiron, a small town near Grenoble. Orphaned at the age of 19 months, he had tuberculosis of the pelvic bones (or coxalgia). He spent his first twelve years bedridden and limped all his life. In Grenoble, François Joseph Girot was his first master and Jules Flandrin his first significant influence. He arrived in Paris in 1905, the year of the scandal of the Fauve painters to work with Jean-Paul Laurens. At the Julian Academy, he met Dunoyer de Segonzac, who became a faithful friend, and in Paris, he frequently saw Max Weber, meeting thanks to him Picasso and also Matisse, Marquet, Jacqueline Marval and Rouault. In a time of Cubism, his only absolute model was Cézanne. Mainssieux undertook numerous trips during his life, especially throughout France. Even though he lived in Paris, he returned to Voiron in the summer, where he could paint landscapes with greater ease. His first trip out of France was to Rome was a revelation for him the ancient monuments with rosy stones, the perfect architecture and the sculpture fascinate him. He exhibited the painting of this scene, The Palatine Hill, at the Salon d'Automne in Paris, and it was noticed by critics and the general public thanks to its style. After obtaining a scholarship for Africa, Mainssieux left for Tunisia. His discovery of the Muslim world amazed him, and he began to paint marabouts, palm groves, sands and oases. He returned to this country many times. He visited Morocco four times from 1929, and then wrote a book, Le Maroc Secret, illustrated with drawings but never published. His last trip was again to Morocco in 1958, in Agadir. Mainssieux undertook four trips to Algeria, Tipaza. The last twelve years of his life, Mainssieux passed them between Voiron, Paris and Tipaza. The representation and the pictorial techniques alternate throughout the career of Lucien Mainssieux. These changes were largely due to his travels. The painter used mainly four techniques: oil painting, watercolor, engraving and drawing in ink or charcoal. In 1920, after the visit of Renoir's studio, his painting would change and his colors would still clear up. When he left for North Africa after first experiments in Rome. in the 1910s, his paintings became oriented. It represented daily scenes (dance, market) but also portraits and landscapes in bright colors. Throughout his life, Mainssieux never kept the same way of painting: he changed his style according to the place where he painted. Indeed, if he is in Italy, his paintings will be more classical, with pale colors, while in Africa, he favors the everyday scenes in bright colors. He is also influenced by some painters. Corot especially holds a large. During his lifetime, his works are known as those of Matisse, Marquet and Dunoyer de Segonzac. He exhibited in Paris, Algeria, Geneva, Basel, and other European city. The work of Lucien Mainssieux can be finded in Museums in Grenoble and Nantes, France, and especially in Voiron where the whole museum is dedicated to the artist. His paintings are held in collections worldwide. See less