Raphaël Ponson (1835-1904) Fishermen On Bonneveine Beach In Marseille

A beautiful historical document depicting the tranquility and sweetness of life by the sea in Marseille in the 19th century.
As usual, very comfortable with large formats, Raphael Ponson, the specialist in maritime landscapes of Provence, executes with perfect mastery of technique and color this imposing oil on canvas measuring 68 cm by 115 cm.
The work is offered in a large 19th century frame, in perfect condition, measuring 105 cm by 152 cm.
It depicts fishermen pulling their boat onto Bonneveine Beach, near Pointe Rouge on the Goudes road in Marseille.
A few elegant women protected from the sun by their parasols, as well as several figures stroll along the avenue dominated by the rocks of the Marseilleveyre hills.
In very good condition, the work is signed lower left, countersigned and located "Bonneveine Beach in Marseille" on the back. An exceptional work with soft colors and a serene and relaxing atmosphere.

Renowned for his landscapes of the Provençal coast, Raphaël Ponson was the son of a theater designer who taught him the basics of painting.
He then attended the practical drawing school in Marseille where he was a student of Émile Loubon, who taught him to paint landscapes respecting the local tone.
He went to Paris in 1855 and 1856, then to Italy where he completed his training.
He then settled permanently in Marseille.
He made his debut at the Marseille Salon in 1852, and at the Paris Salon in 1861 with La Châtaigneraie aux environs de Chevreuse and Le Château d'If dans la rade de Marseille.

Works
In 1863, he decorated the gallery of the private apartments of the new prefecture of Marseille.
For the decoration of the rooms on the first floor of the Natural History Museum at the Palais Longchamp, Henri-Jacques Espérandieu called upon Raphaël Ponson, whose flexible and brilliant talent would be perfectly suited to the execution of this work, according to the architect's words when presenting the letter of submission to the municipal council.
In 1867, he decorated the three rooms on the first floor where he painted spectacular natural sites: Niagara Falls, the Sea of Ice, the Amazon rainforest and the basalt caves of Fingal in one of the Hebrides.
The most famous room is that of Provence, where Ponson represents different landscapes for each of the small regions of Provence: cork oaks, chestnut trees and strawberry trees for the Var, olive trees and oleanders for the Bouches-du-Rhône, and mulberry trees, almond trees and melons for the Vaucluse.
He also decorated the Rigaud café and the Plauchut pastry shop at the top of the Canebière in Marseille.
He specialized in depicting the beaches, coves, and seashores around Marseille.
To distinguish himself from his younger brother, Étienne Aimé Ponson, a still life painter, he added his first name to his surname. Present in numerous regional exhibitions, he received several awards.

Works in public collections
Aix-en-Provence, Granet Museum: Gulf of Bandol. Avignon,
Calvet Museum: Anse de la Couronne near Martigues.
Béziers, Museum of Fine Arts: Calanque de Port Pin near Cassis; Evening in the Gulf of Bandol.
Carcassonne, Museum of Fine Arts: Seaside in Bandol.
Cassis, Mediterranean Municipal Museum: Italian Brick in the Port of Cassis.
Digne-les-Bains, Gassendi Museum: The Calanque de Sormiou.
Dijon, Museum of Fine Arts: The Château d'If: Morning effect.
Hyères: Coastline at Hyères.
Marseille, Prefecture of Bouches-du-Rhône "Rue de la République"
Marseille: Museum of Fine Arts: Morning at Sausset; Sormiou Coast;
Navy Maritime Museum: Coal ships in the national basin, 1890.
Prefecture of Bouches-du-Rhône, private apartments: four circular paintings, commissioned on May 23, 1866 by the prefect Charlemagne de Maupas to decorate a gallery in his apartments, depicting districts of Marseille: The Palais Longchamp; Rue de la République; Borély Park; Le Pharo.
Narbonne, Museum of Art and History: View of Endoume; Seagulls' nest at the cove of Port-Miou.
Toulon, Museum of Art: Undergrowth at Sainte-Marguerite.
Tours, Museum of Fine Arts: Rocks in Cassis.