8
P R O V E N A N C E
Sale: Boisgirard, 18 Dec 1998, lot 10
Private Collection, Washington, United States, 1998
Private Collection, California, USA, 2004
Private Collection, United Kingdom
Labastide-du-Vert, 1916
Signed lower left 'Henri Martin -16-'
Oil on canvas
27 x 39 1/8 in, 68.5 x 99.5 cm
Martin's panoramic landscapes of Labastide-du-Vert are
among his most atmospheric works. Clearly infatuated by his
surroundings, Martin painted the valley in the Lot region of
south western France multiple times. This refined series of
paintings aim to capture the tranquillity of life and beauty
of the area.
Although Martin had shifted away from figurative painting
during this period, his works are never pure landscapes as
they always hold a strong human presence. In this painting
Labastide-du-Vert, of 1916, the houses nestled in the hillside
are the focal point. The smoke drifting up from the chimneys
signals people inside the buildings without Martin painting a
single figure. He shows the harmony between nature and its
inhabitants by using the same colour palette for the houses
and the hills behind them.
Martin paints the village again in La Valleé Vert à Labastide-
du-Vert and Vue des toits de Labastide-du-Vert en été (p.26-27 and
24-25). The aerial perspective given to these works elevates
the landscape to a higher spiritual level, while its picturesque
depiction gives a sense of peace as one looks down upon
Labastide-du-Vert.
