Pair Of Marines

François-Alphonse Fonèche (1825-1880)
Pair of seascapes
21 x 41 cm each
Circa 1860

Our paintings, with their rapid writing, fiery drawing, vivid palette and lively composition, were created under the influence of Romanticism, emphasizing the traits of man's vulnerability in the face of the indomitability of the expanse of water. The viewer, caught between two opposing cardinal points, finds himself at the crossroads of striking scenes that respond to each other as much as they confront each other. On one side a sunset covers the sky with a warm but dark palette while opposite the atmosphere is partially luminous. The diagonals formed by the cliffs on one side and the ship on the other frame the work and its counterpart, thus forming a single composition. This striking symmetry is accentuated by the continuity of the horizon lines and the inversion of the direction of the waves. François-Alphonse Fonèche (1825-1880), a clearly talented artist, is worth (re)discovering. His name has been forgotten and he is often confused with André Fonèche (1851-1942).