Georges Frédéric Rötig, Studies Of Trees Under The Snow, 1896, Watercolor And Gouache

Georges Frédéric RÖTIG 
(Le Havre 1873-1961 Paris)
Studies of Trees in the Snow
1896
watercolour and gouache
10 x 12 cm ; 9 x 8 cm ; 20,5 x 29 cm (framed composition)
one of the studies is signed ‘G. F. Rötig' and dated “96” lower left

Selective bibliography:
Bénézit, Paris, Ernest Gründ Editeur

Notable museums :
musée des Beaux-arts, le Havre
Musée de Picardie, Amiens
Musée des Beaux-arts, Cambrai

A student at the Beaux-Arts in Paris, where he was taught by Jules Lefebvre, Jean-Pierre Laurens and Benjamin-Constant, Georges-Frédéric Rötig turned out to be a painter with a deep passion for animals and the natural world around him. His works were repeatedly acclaimed at the Salon des artistes français, with a special mention in 1903, and in 1913 he was awarded the Prix Rosa-Bonheur. This prize, created in 1900 by Anna Klumpke within the Société des artistes français to honour Rosa Bonheur, specifically rewards animal painting.
As a prolific painter, Rötig contributed to the magazine Le Chasseur français from 1938 to 1958, illustrating around thirty of its covers.
In his study of snowy undergrowth, Rötig's treatment of the elements pays homage to Gustave Courbet's winter landscapes. His work follows in the footsteps of painters such as Akseli Gallen-Kallela, notably in his work ‘Printemps’ (see comparison image), where he combines realism and impressionism. He highlights nature, its subtle details and colourful shadows.