3217 - GUSTAVE LOISEAU

GUSTAVE LOISEAU (1865 Paris 1935) L'église de Bennecourt. 1901. Oil on canvas. Signed and dated lower left: G. Loiseau / 1901. 61 × 74 cm. Provenance: - Galerie Durand Ruel, Paris, acquired from the artist in 1901. - Durand Ruel Galleries, New York (remnants of label on verso). - Macbeth Gallery, New York. - Auction Sotheby’s New York, 8 October 1986, lot 149. - Private collection, Switzerland, acquired in the late 1980s. - Auction Sotheby’s England, 4 May 2022, lot 117. - Private collection, London. The work is registered in the archives of Didier Imbert. Loiseau painted the imposing church at Bennecourt, with its pointed tower, on several occasions and in different weather conditions. In the present painting, the church – like so many of his subjects, part of the Île-de-France region – is nestled in a peaceful, idyllic winter landscape. The colours are soft and harmonious, dominated by delicate pastel shades. Gentle, subdued light accentuates the slightly misty atmosphere of the winter scene. The lightly impastoed brushstrokes lend the painting depth and texture, bringing out both the thin layer of snow covering the ground and the dense, mist-laden clouds overhead. The scene conveys a sense of peace and serenity – almost a quiet longing to escape the bustle of everyday life and immerse oneself in the stillness of winter. * The full tax is charged on this item marked *, i.e. VAT is charged on the sum will be refunded to Purchasers providing a validly stamped export declaration.