Antonin Ponchon (1891-1965), Place Des Jacobins (lyon)

Oil on canvas. 55 x 46 cm. Signed lower left. With frame.

Antonin Ponchon’s Place des Jacobins (Lyon) offers a poetic and atmospheric view of one of the city’s most iconic squares. A painter from early 20th-century Lyon, Ponchon centers his composition around the famous Jacobins Fountain, erected in 1885 and adorned with statues of notable Lyonnais figures. The artist captures the urban ambiance, enveloping the buildings and fountain in a veil of diffused, almost misty light.

The palette, dominated by soft tones and pastel hues, reflects the luminous haze typical of Lyon—a quality often attributed to Ponchon by contemporary critics. Contours are deliberately blurred, and forms are simplified, imparting a sense of calm and restraint that characterizes Ponchon’s style and reveals the post-Impressionist influence of Cézanne and the Ziniars group, of which he was a member. The figures, reduced to simple silhouettes, emphasize the monumentality of the fountain and surrounding architecture while subtly animating the scene.

Ponchon favors perspective and depth, opening the square with an urban vista that draws the viewer’s gaze into the background, enhancing the sense of space. This compositional choice reflects the artist’s interest in expansive views and architecture, yet avoids academic rigidity through a free and spontaneous touch. The work thus embodies the modernity of early 20th-century Lyon—balancing tradition and innovation—and demonstrates Ponchon’s ability to capture the soul of a city through light, color, and composition.