Alexandre Altmann (1878-1932) - Esquisse de jardin arboré

Alexandre Altmann (1878–1932)

Sketch of a leafy garden
Oil on canvas – 46 × 38 cm
Signed on the reverse by the artist

Beautiful and very spontaneous oil sketch on canvas by Alexandre Altmann (1878–1932), Ukrainian-born painter belonging to the generation of artists of the School of Paris.

Altmann studied at the Beaux-Arts in Odessa before leaving the city in 1905 to join Paris. He settled at La Ruche, a major hub of Parisian artistic life in the early 20th century, and formed connections notably with Émile Schuffenecker. He gained early significant recognition in 1910 with the display of his painting The Flood of Paris. From 1920, he settled in Nemours, while also staying in Saint-Jean-de-Luz and on the Côte d’Azur.

This work represents a densely arborated garden, captured with remarkable freedom of execution. The artist builds the composition with broad masses of color rather than with precise drawing: deep greens, yellows, ochres, reds and violet tones intertwine in a generous and vibrant matter.

The sketch-like character is particularly perceptible in the speed and frankness of the gesture. The foliage is suggested by a succession of thick and nervous strokes, while some passages remain deliberately synthetic. This direct handling gives the work a particular freshness and conveys the feeling of a painting done on the spot, intended above all to capture the light and atmosphere of the landscape.

A vivid orange line crossing the center of the composition provides a striking chromatic accent, making the greens of the foreground stand out and the reddish tones of the tree on the left.

The canvas is signed “Alexandre Altmann” on the reverse, directly on the canvas.

Artist: Alexandre Altmann (1878–1932)
Proposed title: Sketch of a leafy garden
Technique: oil on canvas
Dimensions: 46 × 38 cm
Signature: signed “Alexandre Altmann” on the reverse
Era: early 20th century
Condition: old state, with wear and occasional losses visible in the photographs; good overall conservation of the painting’s surface.

An especially appealing work for its immediacy, its materiality and the freedom of its brushwork, which allows appreciation of Altmann’s work in his most spontaneous phase.