Elie Lascaux (1888-1968) Paris Under The Snow 1922/25. Limoges, Kahnweiler, Leiris, Jacob Artaud

A very interesting oil on canvas by Elie Lascaux depicting a lively Parisian neighborhood under snow, circa 1922-1925. Signed lower right, with old labels on the back, but torn and illegible. Canvas size: 60 x 45 cm. This is a superb and rather rare composition by Elie Lascaux, dating from his very early period, around 1922-1925, in which he painted a Parisian neighborhood or its suburbs on a snowy day. As was his custom, he populated his scene with figures and vehicles of the time. I have not yet identified the exact location, but thanks to the church, it should be fairly easy to find. This painting is very typical of Elie Lascaux's earliest period. He was already leaning towards naive and dreamlike art, but the stylization wasn't yet what he would later employ. His painting was closer to that of his friend Max Jacob, whom he had met recently, as had Daniel-Henry Kahnweiler. Elie Lascaux, born in Limoges on April 5, 1888, and died on October 28, 1968, in Paris, was a French naive painter. From 1902, Elie Lascaux worked for a phonograph dealer, then in a porcelain factory (Haviland [archive]), which marked his first steps in painting. In 1904, he went to Paris where he hoped to pursue a career in the performing arts. Taken prisoner during the First World War, he distracted himself from his captivity by drawing. At the end of the war, he returned to Paris and settled in Montmartre. There he met Georges Limbour and Suzanne Valadon, who encouraged him to paint and introduced him to Max Jacob. Lascaux soon became acquainted with André Malraux, Raymond Queneau, as well as André Beaudin and Juan Gris. In 1922, he met Daniel-Henry Kahnweiler, who became his art dealer and patron. Three years later, he married Berthe Godon, a sister-in-law of Daniel-Henry Kahnweiler. He was also a good friend of Pablo Picasso, who supported him in the 1960s for his audacity and perseverance. There were two interesting and important exhibitions a few years ago in Boulogne-Billancourt and Limoges, accompanied by a very interesting catalogue with a preface by his grandson Xavier Vilató, son of the painter, engraver, and sculptor Javier Vilató, nephew of the painter and engraver José Vilató Ruiz, great-nephew of Picasso, and great-great-grandson of the painter José Ruiz y Blasco. He is also the great-nephew of Louise and Michel Leiris. This painting is in good condition; I will have it cleaned before selling it. For now, it is sold unframed. The artwork is guaranteed authentic.