The Conversation

Signed Albert Thomas lower right Student of Jules Lefebvre at the Académie Julian from 1887 to 1889, Albert Thomas later joined Albert Maignan's studio at the École des Beaux-Arts. He made his debut at the Salon des Artistes français in 1893, exhibiting portraits, landscapes and naturalistic pastoral scenes in the style of Jean-François Millet, with which he won medals in 1896 and 1903. Another part of the artist's production belongs to the Symbolist spirit very fashionable at the turn of the 20th century. The studies of his monumental paintings preparatory to his composition Music-Dance-Poetry for the new Hôtel de Ville de Tours, built by Laloux, were exhibited at the Salon of 1901, 1902 and 1903. They were very well received by critics, in a flattering comparison with Puvis de Chavannes. These ambitious decorations constitute, with that of the Caisse d'Epargne d'Amboise presented at the 1912 Salon, the best of his production, which is otherwise poorly documented. At the Salon of 1898, Albert Thomas obtained a third medal with the painting Soir Antique, inspired by a symbolist poem by Jean Léra. Our painting is part of the artist's Barbizonian period. Gathered in a circle within a wintry and rustic country landscape, three young peasant women are dressed in dark clothes and accompanied by a small black goat half-hidden by a trunk, reading and discussing among themselves, seated on the ground. A fourth, more mysterious figure remains standing, set back from the group, his bundle lying at his feet. The muted and woody touch echoes the characteristic tones of the Forest of Fontainebleau.

Bibliography / Véronique Moreau, Paintings of the 19th century, 1800-1914, catalog raisonné, 2, HZ, anonymous, supplement, Museum of Fine Arts of Tours, Château d'Azay-le-Ferrron, Tours, 2001.

Works in public collections: Tours Museum of Fine Arts, Soir Antique, 1898, oil on canvas, 178 x 347 cm, gift of the artist, 1898 Inv. 1926-7-1