25 - Jean Léon GÉRÔME (Vésoul, 1824 – Paris, 1904)

Jean Léon GÉRÔME (Vésoul, 1824 – Paris, 1904) Resina Watering Hole with Vesuvius in the Background Oil on canvas mounted on cardboard 21.2 x 30.4 cm Bears a label on the back with the following handwritten inscription: Gérome had given my / grandfather a small painting of Italy / “Resina Watering Hole” with Vesuvius / in the background. I have it. / Xavier Eude (1883–1965) / memories of his grandfather / Louis Adolphe EUDE (1814–1889) / (inscribed by Michel Eude, 1969) We thank Ms. Emily Weeks for authenticating this work by Gérôme based on a photographic examination of the piece. The certificate and inclusion in the catalogue raisonné are the responsibility of the purchaser. “So at age 18, I was in Italy. I knew nothing; I had everything to learn. (…) I studied architecture, landscapes, figures, and animals. I finally felt myself awakening through contact with nature. That year was one of the happiest and most fulfilling of my life.” The work we are presenting seems to reflect this discovery and this pivotal period in the life and career of Jean-Léon Gérôme. He joined Paul Delaroche’s studio in Paris at a very early age, and after several failed attempts at the Prix de Rome, he left for Italy with his master in 1843. That year proved decisive for the artist. He developed a passion for antiquity, and while he was interested in accurately depicting life in the Greek and Roman eras, he did not neglect the serene landscapes offered by Rome, Naples, and the surrounding region. He returned from Italy with a broader, more picturesque vision of nature and a more nuanced understanding that would complement his studio training. The subject of the work we are presenting is likely a view of Corso Resina in Herculaneum—a street that draws the eye toward the distance across the Campanian countryside, with a public fountain on the right side of the composition and Mount Vesuvius in the distance. The warm southern light, the large blocks of color, the strong contrasts in light, a few ancient ruins, and a view of the scene convey the painter’s passion and artistic exploration and invite us to reconsider his art, which is often described as academic. - Gifted by the artist to his friend, the sculptor Louis-Adolphe EUDE (1814–1889), and subsequently passed down through his descendants.