Lucien De Maleville (1881-1964) French Soldiers In A Northern Town

Lucien de MALEVILLE
(Périgueux 1881 - 1964)
French soldiers in a northern town during the Great War
Graphite and charcoal on paper
H. 17.5 cm; W. 12 cm
Signed lower right, dated 1918

During the Great War, Maleville was, as he called himself: a tringlot artist. With his withered arm, he could not directly participate in the fighting and therefore spent a large part of the war in the Trains des Équipes where he served behind the front. Long based in Amiens, he met his master Désiré-Lucas there, where a true friendship was born between the two men. A prolific artist despite the circumstances, Maleville sketched, caricatured, illustrated and brought back from these northern towns many works, many of which remained confidential. Our drawing representing French soldiers and a vehicle in a town was certainly made a few kilometers from the front, perhaps in Amiens…