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Stern Pissarro Gallery
 
Promenade au Parc - Jean Lurçat (1892 - 1966)

Jean Lurçat (1892 - 1966)

Promenade au Parc

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Oil on canvas
100 x 65.3 cm (39 ³/₈ x 25 ³/₄ inches)
Signed lower right, jl
1920

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  • Provenance

    Whiteford Fine Art, London
    Private collection, London

  • Description

    Jean Lurçat was a French painter and designer born in 1892 in Bruyères, France, and is best known for for his Surrealist paintings and reviving the art of tapestry into the modern art world, in the mid-20th century. Early in his career as a painter, Lurçat was inspired by Fauvism and founded the 𝘍𝘦𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘥𝘦 𝘔𝘢𝘪 (The leaves of May), an art journal. He was in close dialogue with Cubism, Surrealism, Modernism and Classicism and his works presented recurring motifs such as animals, nature, the cosmos, mythology and symbolism. Lurçat was influenced by Expressionism when he travelled to Berlin and Munich in 1920.

    This painting by Jean Lurçat dates from 1920 and features two women elegantly dressed for their walk in the park and embracing each other. One is holding a blue umbrella and, in the background, the grey patches suggest a rainy forecast. Before 1923, it was very difficult to trace Lurçat's paintings and this painting is certainly among the most successful ones.

    This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from Gérard Denizeau and will be included in the artist’s forthcoming catalogue raisonné. 

    The work features two women very similar to the one found in the two paintings entitled La Visite (1920.14 and 1920.15 in the catalogue raisonne).
     

Artist's Biography

Jean Lurçat was a French painter and designer born in 1892 in Bruyères, France, and is well known for his Surrealist paintings and reviving the art of tapestry into the modern art world, in mid-20th century. In 1912, Lurçat moved to Paris and studied at the Académie Colarossi under Bernard Naudin. Amongst his friends were Antoine Bourdelle, Elie Faure and Maria Rilke and he also frequented the circles of Max Jacob, Pablo Picasso and Louis Marcousis.

Early in his career as a painter, Lurçat was inspired by Fauvism where he mastered his development in colour. He co-founded the Feuilles de Mai (The leaves of May), an art journal. Lurçat’s work was also in close dialogue with Cubism, Surrealism, Modernism, and Classicism and his works presented recurring motifs of animals, nature, the cosmos, mythology and symbolism. In 1915, he participated in his first exhibition in Zürich, and in 1917 he exhibited his first tapestries. Lurçat was influenced by Expressionism when he travelled to Berlin and Munich in 1920, however, Surrealism was the more lasting influence on his painting from when he travelled to Mediterranean countries, North Africa, and the Middle East. After the First World War, Lurcat’s style began to mature and he produced many works, especially oils paintings, throughout 1920 to 1923. Alongside artists such as George Braque, Max Ernst, Hans Arp amongst others, he regularly exhibited at the Galerie Jeanne Bucher.

Lurçat died in 1966 in Saint-Paul de Vence, France, and his widow, Simone Lurçat, established the Musée Jean Lurçat in Saint-Laurent les Tours and the Musée Jean Lurçat et de la Tapisserie Contemporaine in Angers.

Jean Lurçat