Louis Valtat
Bouquet de dahlias
Circa 1940
Oil on canvas 55.3 x 46.3 cm Framed. Stamped monogram 'L.V' (Lugt 1771 bis) in black lower right. - Vibrant colours, the canvas minimally wavy. A retouched and backed tear in the centre of the upper background.
Along with landscapes and genre scenes, still lifes were among the most important subjects of Louis Valtat, who is known for his delicate handling of colour. Our intimate floral piece depicting a bouquet of dahlias also displays a refined chromatic harmony in shades of pink, dark violet and magenta. The flowers of the dahlias have been portrayed as firm and luxuriant and as autonomous areas of colour with clear contours; by contrast, the painter plays with fine gradations of colour and a very lively brushstroke in the largely abstract cloth of the drapery and the surface of the wall.
Via impressionism and the style of the Nabis, Louis Valtat arrived at his own form of expression, which celebrates the independent value of colour, and he became an important pioneer among the “Fauves”. In 1905 he took part in the famous exhibition at the Salon d'Automne - the moment when Fauvism was born - and was highly esteemed from then on. However, compared to other “Fauves”, his work is distinguished by its moderate style featuring a harmonious treatment of colour.
Certificate
With a confirmation from Association L. Valtat, Saint-Brès, Julien Valtat, dated 22 December 2018. The painting will be included in the catalogue raisonné (ref. no. 4747).
Provenance
Georges Descours, Lyon (prior to 1964); Private possession; Private collection, Israel