David Eugène Girin (1848-1917), The Swan Pond

Oil on cardboard. 32 x 39 cm. Signed lower right. Framed.

This oil on cardboard painted by the artist David Girin shows us a pond probably in Dombes. We can see different species of birds as well as white swans that punctuate the composition. We can see the reflections of the different trees and birches that litter the edges of the water while the silhouette of a stone building appears in the background. Girin, colorist and luminist, uses an original palette dominated by delicate nuances of light earths and colored whites that let the blacks of a powerful and sober drawing show through.

David-Eugène Girin entered the École des Beaux-Arts in Lyon in 1864 and immediately joined Joseph Guichard’s class. He exhibited genre scenes at the Salon and also painted still lifes, notably of flowers. In 1887, with the painting Le Matin, a definitive change occurred: the artist, previously known for his genre paintings, henceforth devoted himself exclusively to landscapes and outdoor scenes. His financial stability allowed him to travel throughout France, providing him with a wide variety of subjects to explore. David Girin also renewed both his palette and his technique. He combined powerful, understated drawing with a palette composed of light earth tones and tinted whites.