School Of Paris – René Thomsen - Landscape With River And Washhouse Boats – Signed, Dated

Oil on canvas depicting a riverside urban landscape, probably in the suburbs of Paris.
Rooftops and a bell tower occupy the left background, while in the foreground, the towpath and a vast meadow open the scene. In the center, a river where two wash boats are moored, in front of a bridge.
The landscape is animated by several figures, on the path, one of the boats and on the meadow.

The work is signed and dated 36 lower left. It is in good condition, the canvas is slightly loose. It is offered in a modern frame, in good condition.

The artist
René Thomsen is a French painter and engraver of the School of Paris, born in the 6th arrondissement of Paris on July 20, 1897 and died in Versailles on July 28, 1976. He is the son of a sculptor who was a friend of Doctor Paul Gachet, the protector of Vincent van Gogh.

A student of Louis Anquetin and Fernand Cormon at the École nationale supérieure des beaux-arts, Thomsen developed his art in contact with the masters of Montparnasse. Mobilized in 1917, he continued to draw and paint war scenes. In 1919, he attended the Académie Colarossi with Chaïm Soutine and rubbed shoulders with Modigliani, Pascin and Manuel Ortiz de Zarate. A member of the Salon d'automne from 1921, he received encouragement from Louis Vauxcelles and Élie Faure. In 1931-1932, he stayed at the Casa de Velázquez in Madrid, winner of the Velázquez Prize. Based in Paris, he traveled to France, Spain, and Morocco, drawing inspiration from these varied landscapes.

His work, influenced by Post-Impressionism and Fauvism, is characterized by a great chromatic sensitivity and a sustained attention to light. He painted landscapes, still lifes, and scenes of daily life, in a style that was both structured and vibrant, with often simplified contours but deep colors.

In the 1950s, Thomsen gradually moved away from figuration to explore a form of abstract lyricism, without ever completely breaking with visible reality. He remains attached to the idea that painting must convey a sincere and immediate emotion.

Many French museums have works by René Thomsen: Fesch Museum (Ajaccio), Toulouse Lautrec Museum (Albi), André Malraux Museum of Modern Art (Le Havre), Museum of Modern Art of the City of Paris, National Museum of Modern Art (Centre Pompidou), etc.

Work visible at the gallery (07240)
Shipping: contact us for shipping costs in France and abroad.