The Washerwomen At The Moulin d'Andé By Achille Benouville

Washerwomen at the Moulin d'Andé on the banks of the Seine. Important oil on canvas by the artist Achille Benouville, with wooden frame and gilded stucco. Remained in the artist's family and his descendants. Monogram lower left. Old label of attribution to a member of the family during a division. Léon Achille Benouville (1785-1857) French painter, Ecole des Beaux Arts de Paris, painted landscapes of the Fontainebleau region at the beginning of his career and exhibited at the Salon from 1834. He made several trips to Italy, including one accompanied by Camille Corot and won the Grand Prix de Rome in 1845. After his stay at the Villa Medici, he remained in Italy for 25 years while exhibiting regularly in the French Salons. He apprenticed with his younger brother the artist François Léon Benouville, and Léon Coignet. His works are present in many museums. The old seigneurial mill of Andé, is located between Rouen and Evreux in the department of Eure, its existence can be attested since the 15th century, its current configuration dates from the 18th century. One of its first destinations was the water supply of the Château Gaillard. Designed according to the technique of the hanging wheel, a particularity which makes it unique in Europe, it is registered as a historical monument. At one time owned by the industrialist Louis Renault, it is today a cultural center, has hosted many writers in residence, an illustrious place, it also served as a setting in many films, notably for Truffaut (The 400 Blows as well as Jules and Jim) but also for Rappenau and Louis Malle.