Marthe Mootz (1915–1988) Catalan Convent And Wine Landscape

Watercolor on heavy paper, 71 x 60 cm, with glazed frame. An important and beautiful watercolor attributed to Marthe Mootz, depicting a former fortified convent overlooking a structured orchard and a wine-growing village in a hilly Mediterranean landscape. The composition is remarkably well-constructed; the eye is guided from the foreground—a rhythmic orchard and circular fountain—to the convent architecture with its ochre walls and red roofs, then to the village and the hills rendered in bluish washes. The brushwork is confident and concise, the vegetation is built up through subtle layering, and the architectural forms are masterfully simplified. The balance between warm light and gray-blue shadows lends the whole a great atmospheric softness. Living in Haute-Savoie (74), Marthe Mootz primarily developed a body of work depicting Alpine landscapes. Southern or Mediterranean views are few in her known oeuvre, making this watercolor particularly interesting for a collector attentive to the diversity of her output. Work from the artist's studio. Unsigned. Mid-20th century. 71 x 60 cm with a glazed wooden frame. Very good overall condition. This work is a unique example of a brighter, more southern style in the artist's career, while retaining the rigorous construction that characterizes his work.