Monticelli (1824-1886) "élégantes" Large Oil On Mahogany Panel

Large Impressionist painting 19th century oil painting on mahogany panel signed lower right MONTICELLI dated 1866 (Adolphe Monticelli 1824-1886) depicting a romantic party animated by elegant women in a park. Dimensions: 82 cm X 65 cm / on view: 69 cm X 53 cm Adolphe Monticelli French painter born in Marseille in 1824 whose vibrant and expressive style preceded the Impressionist movement. Monticelli began his artistic journey at the age of eighteen by attending the Municipal School of Drawing in his hometown from 1842 to 1846. He then moved to Paris to continue his studies under Paul Delaroche at the prestigious École des Beaux-Arts. In 1855, Monticelli met Narcisse Diaz, an artist associated with the Barbizon school. The two often painted together in the forest of Fontainebleau. Monticelli was influenced by Diaz's practice of incorporating nudes or elegantly dressed figures into landscapes, a motif that would carry over into his own work. Monticelli developed a highly individual Romantic style, characterized by richly colored, speckled, and textured surfaces. His paintings, with their glittering effects, often depicted gallant subjects inspired by Antoine Watteau. In addition, he created still lifes, portraits, and Orientalist scenes, drawing inspiration from the oil paintings of Delacroix. In the 1860s, Monticelli became friends with the young Paul Cézanne, and his influence is evident in Cézanne's works from that decade. Despite his growing skills and significant production, Monticelli lived in poverty after his return to Marseille in 1870. Contrary to academic precepts, he painted with bold brushstrokes, rebelling against the usual smooth precision, he liked to play with color, using it in different gradations in the same painting, using these techniques to create romantic scenes and landscapes of parks and gardens bathed in light, without preparatory drawing, with a personal and lively manner of dense and sketched brushstrokes, inspired by some sketches by Eugène Delacroix. Belonging to the generation immediately preceding the Impressionists, he was greatly admired by Van Gogh, to the point of becoming one of his references. After 1870, Monticelli returned to Marseille, where he would live in poverty, despite a vast and interesting production. A decision that would cost the painter dearly, as it would take him only a few years, still in Paris, to seize the new Impressionist market and begin to enjoy well-deserved success. From 1878 to 1884, Monticelli and Cézanne often painted together, exploring the landscapes of Aix-en-Provence. Monticelli's devotion to his art was reflected in his remark, "I paint for thirty years from now," suggesting a forward-looking vision anticipating future artistic developments. Monticelli's work, with its painterly freedom and expressive use of color, foreshadowed that of Vincent van Gogh. Van Gogh, who greatly admired Monticelli's work after seeing it in Paris in 1886, adopted a brighter palette and heavier brushstrokes influenced by Monticelli's style. Unfortunately, Monticelli died in Marseille in 1886, a few months before Van Gogh arrived in Paris, and the two artists never met. In 1886, Monticelli's distinctive style and technique caught the attention of critics and admirers at the Salon des XX. His nervous, broad brushstrokes, and remarkably rich palette, made his work instantly recognizable. He painted a variety of subjects, including imaginative festive scenes, expressive portraits, sensual nudes, vibrant still lifes, and lively circus scenes, all characterized by a unique vivacity and color that continues to be admired in the art world today. Adolphe Monticelli's legacy is that of an influential French painter who, despite a life of poverty, left a lasting mark on the art world. His friendship with Cézanne, his influence on Van Gogh, and his vibrant, expressive style ensure that his work remains celebrated and studied long after his time.