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LE VILLAGE ENSOLEILLÉ
Emile-Charles Dameron (French, 1848-1908)
Oil on canvas | Signed lower left "E. DAMERON"
Item # 105KIP14S
A vivid scene depicting a young woman working by needle on a stretch of white fabric, taking shade from the afternoon sun before the brilliantly lit cluster of homes with their colorful roofs gathered on the nearby hillside. The rural setting captures the age of the buildings with patinated stucco walls with a multitude of colors that blend into the worn cobblestone of the road; an old shutter hangs slightly unbalanced against the wall decorated with a flowering window pot.
Typical of his better work, the present painting captures the dignity and tranquility of the French countryside with a rich palette and complex brushwork. It is signed lower left in his block script "E. DAMERON" and is hung on original stretchers with old gallery labels.
EMILE-CHARLES DAMERON
The noted late nineteenth century French landscape painter was born in Paris in 1848. He is best known today for charming and meticulously crafted landscapes and village scenes executed in the Barbizon manner. Drawn to the arts at an early age, Dameron studied under the Barbizon painter Louis Pelouse (1838-1891). From Pelouse he learned the elements of the Barbizon style of painting which included the depiction of an outdoor preferably rural subject, the close observation of atmosphere and natural phenomena and calm almost reverent attitude toward the beauties of the natural world. Dameron also studied for a time with the well-known patiner, Troyon.
After completing his formal training, Dameron quickly became an active participant in the Parisian art world. He made his debut at the Salon in 1872 and exhibited there regularly until shortly before his death. His Salon works were extremely well received and earned Dameron considerable acclaim and recognition. His works earned a third-class medal in 1878 and a second-class medal in 1881. He was awarded the Troyon Prize in 1876. Dameron also participated in the now famous World Exposition of 1889 where he received a bronze medal for his competition piece.
Dameron's works are generally fine examples of Barbizon painting at its best. His views of the Seine, Provence, Brittany and the Cap d'Atibes are realistic yet endowed with the sense of poetry that transforms mere nature into art. Dameron was a highly successful Salon painter who is represented in important private collections and several regional French museums. Among his most successful works are Verger au printemps, Le petit bras de Seine a Villenex, Aux bords de l'etang, Laveuse en Provence and Paysage du midi. Dameron died in Paris in 1908. (Source: Kurt E. Schon, Ltd., biography)
Provenance:
- Kurt E. Schon, Ltd., New Orleans, 9 February 1988, acquired for $ 10,000 USD (original invoice and documentation paperwork provided with the painting); accompanied by letter of updated appraisal valuations from Kurt E. Schon, Ltd. 7 May 1998
Artist Listings & Bibliography:
- E. Benezit Dictionary of Artists, Vol. IV, Gründ, 2006, p. 367-368
Measurements: 15 1/8" H x 21 7/8" W [canvas]; 22 5/8" H x 28 3/4" W x 2 1/4" D [frame]
Condition Report:
Surface remains bright and clear, paint layer is stable and in good repair, visually excellent condition. Faint stretcher bar impressions to the edges of the painting. Under UV examination, speck touch ups present in the sky, a few spots of inpainting to the extreme edges of the painting where the frame rubs - notably the top central edge. Frame is period and presents beautifully with later re-gilding, minor chips, wear and other use indicators.