Luigi Loir (1845-1916) - Paysage aux Petites Maisons (vendu sans prix de réserve)

We are pleased to present this superb charcoal work on paper depicting two small houses near Paris by the French artist Luigi Loir (1845–1916).

Small houses surrounded by tall trees, near Paris.

Title: Small Houses.

Medium: Charcoal and wash drawing on paper with mat.

Artist: Luigi Loir (1845–1916).

Year: 1900.

Signed and dated lower right: L. Loir"

On its period gray mat, with a small "LUIGI LOIR" label at the bottom.

Overall size with mat: 28 cm x 22.5 cm.
Image size: 11 cm x 7.9 cm.

Condition: Good overall condition, see photos.

Luigi Loir (1845–1916) was a French painter, illustrator, and lithographer born in Austria, celebrated for capturing the unique atmosphere of the capital during the Belle Époque. Trained at the Academy of Fine Arts in Parma and later under Jean Pastelot in Paris, he first distinguished himself in mural painting and ceiling decoration before devoting himself fully to urban landscapes. A true chronicler of Parisian life, his sensitivity enabled him to capture the slightest variations in light, with a marked preference for winter scenes, rain, mist, and nocturnal effects on the grand boulevards. His views of the new Métropolitain and the quays of the Seine enjoyed immense popular and institutional success, earning him prestigious honors, including a gold medal at the 1889 Exposition Universelle and the Legion of Honor in 1898. A versatile artist, he also put his talent in the service of modernity by creating memorable advertising posters, notably for LU biscuits, thereby securing a lasting place for his graphic and pictorial work in the collective imagination of the late 19th century.