Tunis - Lucien Mainssieux (1885-1958)

An oil on canvas measuring 65X54 cm representing Tunis in 1921 signed, a work of Lucien Mainssieux (1885-1958)

Lucien Mainssieux is a French painter and artist, born August 4, 1885 and died July 8, 1958 in Voiron, a small town near Grenoble. François Joseph Girot is his first master and Jules Flandrin his first significant influence. He arrived in Paris in 1905, the year of the Fauve painters scandal, to work with Jean-Paul Laurens. At the Julian Academy, he meets Dunoyer de Segonzac who will be a faithful friend. In Paris, he frequents Max Weber, meets Picasso thanks to him but also frequents Matisse, Marquet, Jacqueline Marval and Rouault. He is not from any of the movements of the time, in particular not from cubism. His only absolute model is Cézanne. Mainssieux undertook numerous journeys during his life, notably throughout France. Even if he lives in Paris, he returns to Voiron in the summer, where he can paint landscapes more easily. His first trip outside France was to Rome in 1910. It was a revelation for him: ancient monuments with pink stones, perfect architecture and sculpture fascinated him. When he sees the Palatine Hill, he decides to paint it, amazed by the beauty of the landscape. This mount first appeared to him as "the sun slowly descended on the horizon, the city palaces and the distant hills were in a golden mist". In 1913, he exhibited the painting of this scene, Le Mont Palatine, at the Salon d'Automne in Paris. He is noticed by critics and the general public thanks to his style. He returned to Rome five more times between 1911 and 1926. In 1921, after obtaining a scholarship for Africa, Mainssieux left for Tunisia. His discovery of the Muslim world amazes him and he begins to paint marabouts, palm groves, sands and oases. He will return to this country many times. He visited Morocco four times from 1929, then wrote a book, Le Maroc secret, illustrated with drawings but which he never published. His last trip was again to Morocco in 1958, to Agadir. Between 1942 and 1954, Mainssieux undertook four trips to Algeria, to Tipaza.