ACHILLE LAUGÉ (1861-1944) ALLEY OF THE WILLS IN CAILHAU, around 1900 Oil on canvas Signed lower left Oil on canvas; signed lower left 49 X 61,5 CM - 19 1/4 X 24 1/4 IN. - - Mrs Nicole Tanburini has confirmed the authenticity of this work. A certificate of authenticity will be given to the buyer. - - RELATED WORK Achille Laugé (1861-1944), The willow alley, 1896. Oil on canvas, signed lower left, 81 x 59 CM, Musée des Beaux-Arts de Carcassonne (reproduced below) - - "You, you bring a very personal vision, a lot of serene logic and a beautiful gift of unity in the love of the luminous air that reigns even in your shadows" Letter from Antoine Bourdelle to Achille Laugé, September 22, 1919 - - In 1888, Achille Laugé left Paris to return to his native village of Cailhau in the Aude region. Taking as his starting point L'alouette, the house he had acquired earlier, he delivers a whole series of paintings representing the Aude landscapes. It is in a rather restricted perimeter, less than fifteen minutes walk from his property, that he plants his easel. By settling in Cailhau, Laugé made the choice of isolation where he took refuge in a creative solitude thus inscribing the paintings of the 1890s among the masterpieces of the neo-impressionist movement. - As early as 1890, the "hermit of Cailhau" tried to divide the tone, following the lesson of Georges Seurat, Paul Signac and Camille Pissarro. In accordance with this theory, Laugé will play with the juxtaposition of the three primary colors first in very small dots, then later in lattice. The work we are presenting is evidence of the new technique adopted by Laugé between 1895 and 1900; leaving aside the dot, he adopted a system of fine interwoven hatchings, a network of woven and entangled sticks which, juxtaposing the hues, allows the optical mixing of pigments. Perceiving color as the consequence of solar radiation, Laugé uses a bright and luminous palette. The realism of the willows with their slender trunks and intertwined branches is matched by the movement and fluidity of the foliage cradled by the wind. - Light plays an important role in this painting. It is represented by touches of light paint that evoke the rays of the southern sun filtering through the leaves of the trees. The light brings the whole work to life, creating contrasts between the lighted and darker spaces. The warm tones of the grass and leaves bring a peaceful and serene atmosphere. With this painting, Laugé has captured the essence of nature and offers us a poetic representation of an alley of willows bathed in the southern light. Our work thus becomes an ode to light and nature. - - In 1888, Achille Laugé left Paris to return to his native village in the Aude, Cailhau. Taking as his starting point L'alouette, the house he had acquired earlier, he delivers a whole series of paintings representing the Aude landscapes. It is in a rather restricted perimeter, less than fifteen minutes' walk from his property, that he plants his easel. - By settling in Cailhau, Laugé made the choice of isolation where he took refuge in a creative solitude. His paintings of the 1890s will be registered among the masterpieces of the neo-impressionist movement. - As early as 1890, the "hermit of Cailhau" tried his hand at tonal division, following the lesson of Georges Seurat, Paul Signac and Camille Pissarro. In accordance with this theory, Laugé will play with the juxtaposition of the three primary colors first in very small dots, then later in lattice. The work we are presenting is evidence of the new technique adopted by Laugé between 1895 and 1900; leaving aside the dot, he adopted a system of fine interwoven hatchings, a network of woven and entangled sticks which, juxtaposing the hues, allows the optical mixing of pigments. Perceiving color as the consequence of solar radiation, Laugé uses a bright and luminous palette. The realism of the willows with their slender trunks and intertwined branches is matched by the movement and fluidity of the foliage cradled by the wind. - Light plays an important role in this painting. It is represented by touches of light paint that evoke the rays of the southern sun filtering through the leaves of the trees. The light brings the whole work to life, creating contrasts between the lighted and darker spaces. The warm tones of the grass and leaves bring a peaceful and serene atmosphere. With this painting, Laugé has captured the essence of nature and offers us a poetic representation of an alley of willows bathed in the southern light. Our work thus becomes an ode to light and nature.