Olive Jean-baptiste (france) – Couple Harnessing A Donkey On A Pontoon – Oil On Canvas – Signed

Very important oil on canvas, more than 3 meters wide and almost 2 meters high with its frame.
Unlike the majority of Olive's works, this one presents a scene from the Provençal hinterland, and not from the seaside. It was distinguished as such in the artist's catalogue raisonné, published in 2008 (see photos).
The scene represents a couple who are harnessing a donkey, on the banks of a river. The characters, of modest size, occupy the center of the painting. They evolve in a grandiose natural setting, as Olive likes them: we notice in particular very large trees with meticulously painted leaves, the rocks, the reflections on the water. Following the course of the river, our eyes are guided by a Provençal town and a mountain that is lost in the clouds.
The work is of rather classical style, which encourages us to place it in the last quarter of the 19th century. It is signed lower right.
The painting is in excellent condition, with no visible retouching on the front or back. It is presented in a beautiful molded wooden frame, stained at the corners, also in very good condition.

The artist
Jean-Baptiste Olive was born in Marseille in 1848. He died in Paris in 1936.
Jean-Baptiste Olive grew up in a modest family, and initially thought of becoming a painter-decorator. However, he enrolled at the École des Beaux-Arts in Marseille, where he was rewarded every year. From his formative years, Olive painted Marseille, its islands and its shores. In 1874, he traveled to Italy, Genoa and Venice. He settled in Paris in 1882. He continued to paint Marseille, the Mediterranean coast and Provence there.
Olive made numerous sketches on the spot, on all kinds of supports. He then painted in the studio.
In his works, nature holds the first place. The perspectives are vast, and the human being is made very small.
In the capital, Olive was entrusted with prestigious commissions. He thus participated in the decorations of the Cirque d'Hiver, the Sacré Cœur and the buffet of the Gare de Lyon.
In 1874, he participated in the Paris Salon and won several prizes in the following years. He became a member of the Salon des artistes français in 1881 and received a silver medal at the Universal Exhibition of 1889.
Jean-Baptiste Olive crossed artistic trends while remaining faithful to his know-how. He was supported by many patrons during his lifetime, and he is today one of the favorite Provençal painters of amateurs. In 2008-2009, the Fondation Regards de Provence organized a retrospective dedicated to JB Olive, entitled "Jean-Baptiste Olive - Peintre de Lumière". The catalogue raisonné of the artist's works was produced for the occasion.

The museums of Marseille have several works by Jean-Baptiste Olive. They can also be found in the Fine Arts museums of Toulon, Béziers, Colmar and Le Havre. The Louvre has one of his drawings. Abroad, his works can be admired in Athens and Sao Paulo. Jean-Baptiste Olive's works have also been the subject of numerous public sales, in France and abroad.

Work visible at the gallery (07240). ​​​​​​​Shipping. Given the size of the work, we offer 2 options:

Collection and transport at your expense from our gallery.

Collection and delivery in mainland France by us, invoicing in addition to the work, depending on the distance.