View Of The Cascade Du Cerisey Pyrenees Signed 1837 Du Perreaux

Oil on canvas, dated and signed on the front... On the back of the canvas, which is the original, is the inscription: Cascade de la Cerisey Cauterest
Duperreux pinx, en 1837.
Age 73 years. Contemporary gilded frame 134 x 112 cm
Alexandre-Louis-Robert Millin du Perreux (1764–1843)
Alexandre-Louis-Robert Millin du Perreux was an important French landscape painter, known for leading the genre from eighteenth-century classicism towards a more pre-Romantic and documentary sensibility.

* Born in Paris, December 20, 1764.
* Died: Paris, August 19, 1843.
He was a pupil of Huë and Valenciennes. The latter, in particular, profoundly influenced his approach to light and atmospheric perspective.
He exhibited regularly at the Paris Salon from 1793 to 1840. He gained the favor of the nobility and the imperial regime, becoming the official painter to Joséphine de Beauharnais.
Millin du Perreux is renowned for his almost "topographical" precision combined with great compositional elegance. Unlike the ideal landscapes of the past, his works often depict real, recognizable places (views of France, Switzerland, and Spain).
He used soft tones and a highly detailed rendering of the sky, a product of his admiration for the Flemish and Dutch masters.
He often included small human figures (people in local costume, wayfarers) to give scale and life to his vast natural compositions.
Major Works
His works are held in prestigious French museums, including the Louvre and the Palace of Versailles. Recurring subjects include:
* Views of Malmaison: He painted numerous views of the castle and gardens for Empress Joséphine.
* Pyrenean Landscapes: Famous for the contrast between the majesty of the mountains and the precision of the villages below.
* Historical and Anecdotal Scenes: He often set minor historical episodes within vast natural settings.
Historical Significance
Although his name is less well-known to the general public than contemporaries like Corot, Millin du Perreux played a crucial role in the renewal of the French landscape. He helped make nature a subject worthy of scientific and poetic attention, paving the way for the subsequent Barbizon School.
> Style Note: His technique is distinguished by a clean brushstroke and an almost enameled finish, typical of neoclassical taste applied to a more modern and itinerant vision of the world.