Matin à Villeneuve, also known as Villeneuve-l'Etang, le matin and From Waters Edge, is a painting created circa 1905 in the Realist tradition with a strong Naturalist component by the French artist Henri Biva (1848–1929). This work was photographed and reproduced as a black and white postcard published for the occasion of the Salon of 1906 in Paris.[1]
Henri Biva, ca.1905, Matin à Villeneuve, Salon 1906, original postcard, published in 1906.[2]
Matin à Villeneuve is an oil painting on canvas in a vertical format with dimensions 153.7 x 127 cm (60.5 by 50 in), signed by Henri Biva (lower left).
This highly detailed work depicts a morning scene at the Villeneuve-l'étang park, located just outside Paris in the western suburb of Marnes-la-Coquette (Seine-et-Oise), France. The artist has chosen a quiet section of the park with a view facing towards the east. The greenery suggests the work was painted en plein air during July or August, and possibly finished sometime later in Biva's Parisian atelier.
Unlike works of the Neo-Impressionists or Fauves, in vogue at the time, Biva has gone to great lengths to show even the most minute details of the scene, such as leaves and petals floating on the surface of the water; overlapping blades of grass; superimposed branches and leaves of varying size indicating distance from the observer; reflecting background trees in the rippling body of water; patches of raking sunlit shimmering seemingly at random throughout carefully selected sections of the composition.
This work of skillfully controlled artistry presents a dominant palette of green variously mixed and blended by the artist to form diverse tones, values and hues, contrasted only by the transpiercing light of the morning sky partly visible through the delicate foliage while bouncing off the surface of the shallows.
Naturalismedit
A trace of Biva's meticulous and rigorous professors at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris—Léon Tanzi (1846-1913), an esteemed Realist painter and Alexandre Nozal (1852-1929) a respected landscape artist—can be contemplated in Biva's work.
Janet Whitmore writes of Henri Biva's work, something that could apply to many of his paintings:
"Like the naturalist painters such as Jules Bastien-Lepage or Rosa Bonheur", writes Janet Whitmore, "there is a strong tactile quality to Biva’s work, focused on the shapes, colors and forms of the small plants beside the stream or the smooth grey surface of the tree trunks". Equally important, she writes, "this type of landscape painting offered an intimate glimpse of a specific locale, a reminder of days spent in the French countryside, or perhaps at the immense forest preserves surrounding Paris. Unlike contemporaries such as Pissarro or Monet, Biva’s landscapes suggest a time before industrialization when no railroad or factory disrupted rural vistas. Rather, these images show no evidence of human activity at all except for the occasional fisherman drowsing by the riverside. (Janet Whitmore, Ph.D.)[3]
Related worksedit
Henri Biva, Aprés-midi à Villeneuve-l'Etang, Salon 1906, postcard
Henri Biva, Le Matin embrumé à Villeneuve-l'Etang, Salon de Paris, 1910 postcard
Henri Biva, Fin de journée, Villeneuve-l'Etang (The evening), Salon 1911 postcard
Henri Biva, Sur le Pont de Villeneuve, Temps couvert, Salon de Paris postcard published 1914
Notes and referencesedit
^Loan exhibition of paintings owned by residents of Rochester: the Memorial Art Gallery (1914), University of Rochester, Book contributor: Cornell University Library
^Henri Biva, Matin à Villeneuve, Salon 1906, Vintage postcard
^Janet Whitmore, Ph.D., a biography of Henri Biva 2011-11-05 at the Wayback Machine
Agence Photographique de la Réunion des musées nationaux et du Grand Palais des Champs-Elysées
January 01, 1970
matin, villeneuve, also, known, villeneuve, etang, matin, from, waters, edge, painting, created, circa, 1905, realist, tradition, with, strong, naturalist, component, french, artist, henri, biva, 1848, 1929, this, work, photographed, reproduced, black, white, . Matin a Villeneuve also known as Villeneuve l Etang le matin and From Waters Edge is a painting created circa 1905 in the Realist tradition with a strong Naturalist component by the French artist Henri Biva 1848 1929 This work was photographed and reproduced as a black and white postcard published for the occasion of the Salon of 1906 in Paris 1 Matin a VilleneuveEnglish From Waters EdgeArtistHenri BivaYearc 1905MediumOil on canvasDimensions153 7 cm 127 cm 60 5 in 50 in LocationPrivate collection Contents 1 Description 2 Naturalism 3 Related works 4 Notes and references 5 External linksDescription edit nbsp Henri Biva ca 1905 Matin a Villeneuve Salon 1906 original postcard published in 1906 2 Matin a Villeneuve is an oil painting on canvas in a vertical format with dimensions 153 7 x 127 cm 60 5 by 50 in signed by Henri Biva lower left This highly detailed work depicts a morning scene at the Villeneuve l etang park located just outside Paris in the western suburb of Marnes la Coquette Seine et Oise France The artist has chosen a quiet section of the park with a view facing towards the east The greenery suggests the work was painted en plein air during July or August and possibly finished sometime later in Biva s Parisian atelier Unlike works of the Neo Impressionists or Fauves in vogue at the time Biva has gone to great lengths to show even the most minute details of the scene such as leaves and petals floating on the surface of the water overlapping blades of grass superimposed branches and leaves of varying size indicating distance from the observer reflecting background trees in the rippling body of water patches of raking sunlit shimmering seemingly at random throughout carefully selected sections of the composition This work of skillfully controlled artistry presents a dominant palette of green variously mixed and blended by the artist to form diverse tones values and hues contrasted only by the transpiercing light of the morning sky partly visible through the delicate foliage while bouncing off the surface of the shallows Naturalism editA trace of Biva s meticulous and rigorous professors at the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris Leon Tanzi 1846 1913 an esteemed Realist painter and Alexandre Nozal 1852 1929 a respected landscape artist can be contemplated in Biva s work Janet Whitmore writes of Henri Biva s work something that could apply to many of his paintings Like the naturalist painters such as Jules Bastien Lepage or Rosa Bonheur writes Janet Whitmore there is a strong tactile quality to Biva s work focused on the shapes colors and forms of the small plants beside the stream or the smooth grey surface of the tree trunks Equally important she writes this type of landscape painting offered an intimate glimpse of a specific locale a reminder of days spent in the French countryside or perhaps at the immense forest preserves surrounding Paris Unlike contemporaries such as Pissarro or Monet Biva s landscapes suggest a time before industrialization when no railroad or factory disrupted rural vistas Rather these images show no evidence of human activity at all except for the occasional fisherman drowsing by the riverside Janet Whitmore Ph D 3 Related works edit nbsp Henri Biva Apres midi a Villeneuve l Etang Salon 1906 postcard nbsp Henri Biva Le Matin embrume a Villeneuve l Etang Salon de Paris 1910 postcard nbsp Henri Biva Fin de journee Villeneuve l Etang The evening Salon 1911 postcard nbsp Henri Biva Sur le Pont de Villeneuve Temps couvert Salon de Paris postcard published 1914Notes and references edit Loan exhibition of paintings owned by residents of Rochester the Memorial Art Gallery 1914 University of Rochester Book contributor Cornell University Library Henri Biva Matin a Villeneuve Salon 1906 Vintage postcard Janet Whitmore Ph D a biography of Henri Biva Archived 2011 11 05 at the Wayback MachineExternal links editBase Joconde Reference no 000PE032377 French Ministry of Culture in French Villeneuve l Etang postcards Agence Photographique de la Reunion des musees nationaux et du Grand Palais des Champs Elysees Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Matin a Villeneuve amp oldid 1190104862, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
