David GIRIN (1848-1917)

A Sunday in the Park Oil on canvas signed lower left. Size: 38,5 x 67,5 cm Provenance: Fulchiron estate, Monte Carlo. French painter born in Lyon, he is the author of genre scenes and still lifes before turning to landscapes. He started at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts de Lyon in the Class of Principles before joining those of Joseph Guichard and Antoine Jean Bail and then with the engraver Lehman. David Girin is an artist who stands out for the diversity of his works, following in the footsteps of Eugène Delacroix and Joseph Guichard. Alphonse Germain defined him as "one of the rare painters born and trained in Lyon who was not afraid to introduce fantasy into their art", which can be seen in particular with Fêtes antiques. He is above all a draughtsman, he uses charcoal and is a master of black and white in search of the model. He is known for his play on light and colour. He excels in rendering blurred greys and uses as a colorist many tones. Moreover, he knew how to make the most of the effects of backlighting. For 17 years, until 1887, Girin practised genre painting and still life, when he changed his subject and became interested in nature and landscapes. Le matin" will mark the definitive change of subject, influenced by Jules Bastien-Lepage.