Appian Adolphe – Animated Shore In The Mediterranean – Oil On Canvas – Signed And Dated 1881

The work depicts a Mediterranean shore, recognizable by the vegetation and the appearance of the hills. The rocks and trees occupy as much space as the sea. We can see white sails in the distance, and above all a man and a child, placed in the center of the painting, who are fishing on foot. A light foam borders the waves. The sky is uniformly blue, painted with a light touch, characteristic of Appian's style. The scene gives off an impression of quiet happiness.
The work is signed and dated 1881 at the bottom left. It is in excellent condition, clean and without retouching. It is offered in a modern gilded frame in the style of Napoleon III, also in very good condition.

The artist
Adolphe APPIAN, pseudonym of Jacques Barthélémi APPIAN was born in Lyon, where he died in 1898. He trained in painting at the School of Fine Arts in the same city. He was a designer of patterns for silks for a time, before turning to painting. He began at the 1835 Salon in Paris and exhibited at the 1847 Salon in Lyon, then regularly in the Salons of these two cities from 1855. He won a gold medal at the Paris Salon in 1868.
In 1852, the meeting of Camille Corot and Jean-François Daubigny had a decisive impact on his career: it was there that he decided to devote himself exclusively to painting, and that he adopted the style of the Barbizon school. He made several stays in Fontainebleau, but also in Bugey, on the Mediterranean coast, etc.
He enjoyed success during his lifetime. Napoleon III even bought a painting from him in 1867. At the same time, he lightened his palette, which until then had been composed of cold and warm tones. The painting we are offering here is evidence of this.
Appian also became known for his etchings (he produced 90) and his charcoal drawings. He was named Knight of the Legion of Honor in 1892.

Many French museums hold his works (museums in Lyon, Chambéry, Bourg-en-Bresse, Cannes, Montpellier, Cherbourg, Nice, etc.). Appian is also very popular in the United States. His works are found in particular in San Francisco and Cleveland.
Appian's works have been the subject of numerous public sales and are always very successful there.

Work visible at the gallery (07240). ​​​​​​​
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