Charles De Condamy – The Fall Of The Polo Player – Watercolor – Signed
Artist: Condamy Charles Fernand De (1847 – 1913, France)
Charles Fernand De Condamy
The Polo Player's Fall
Watercolor
29.5 x 22.5 cm
Signed lower right
This watercolor is above all a comic scene of irresistible vivacity: a polo player has just been unhorsed and finds himself on all fours on the ground, in a posture as inglorious as it is involuntary, while his horse—of which we only see the fleeing hindquarters—seems quite unconcerned about the fate of its rider.
The contrast is delightful: this man, elegantly dressed in a blue and white striped outfit, wearing a matching cap—the very image of the accomplished sportsman—finds himself reduced to contemplating a simple pink ball up close. Condamy mischievously plays on this role reversal: it is now the horse that dominates the situation, and its haughty hindquarters, the only visible part of the animal, seem almost to mock its unfortunate rider.
Far from any pathos, the artist adopts the gaze of a benevolent caricaturist, tenderly capturing the foibles of these sporting gentlemen so quick to take themselves too seriously. The blank background, by isolating the group, further enhances the comic effect, like an illustrated vignette from a satirical magazine. A witty work, characteristic of Condamy's talent for combining precise depiction of animals with refined humor.
Condition: very good, without any foxing, discoloration, or sun fading.
The work is presented mattified and under glass, in a varnished wooden frame, in good condition.
The artist
Born on June 27, 1847, in Gamaches, in the Somme region, Charles Fernand de Condamy came from an aristocratic family. Introduced to the fine arts at a very young age, he received classical training before becoming a student of the academic painter Félix-Joseph Barrias. He also studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris.
His artistic career flourished in the second half of the 19th century. A painter and watercolorist, he specialized in animal subjects, with a particular fondness for horses, dogs, and hunting scenes. He made watercolor his preferred technique for its fluidity and ability to capture movement.
He exhibited at the Salon des Artistes Français from 1878 onward and won a silver medal at the 1900 Paris Exposition Universelle. Appreciated by a European aristocratic clientele, his illustrations appeared in magazines such as Le Soleil du Dimanche. A great enthusiast of equestrian sports, he also produced a remarkable series of illustrations depicting polo players, demonstrating his mastery in capturing the dynamism and elegance of this sport, which was emerging in France. He is also the creator of the famous poster "His Master's Voice", whose image of an attentive dog in front of a gramophone became an advertising icon. He died in Nice on March 3, 1913.
Artwork on display at the gallery (07240).
Shipping: please contact us for shipping costs within France and internationally.
The Polo Player's Fall
Watercolor
29.5 x 22.5 cm
Signed lower right
This watercolor is above all a comic scene of irresistible vivacity: a polo player has just been unhorsed and finds himself on all fours on the ground, in a posture as inglorious as it is involuntary, while his horse—of which we only see the fleeing hindquarters—seems quite unconcerned about the fate of its rider.
The contrast is delightful: this man, elegantly dressed in a blue and white striped outfit, wearing a matching cap—the very image of the accomplished sportsman—finds himself reduced to contemplating a simple pink ball up close. Condamy mischievously plays on this role reversal: it is now the horse that dominates the situation, and its haughty hindquarters, the only visible part of the animal, seem almost to mock its unfortunate rider.
Far from any pathos, the artist adopts the gaze of a benevolent caricaturist, tenderly capturing the foibles of these sporting gentlemen so quick to take themselves too seriously. The blank background, by isolating the group, further enhances the comic effect, like an illustrated vignette from a satirical magazine. A witty work, characteristic of Condamy's talent for combining precise depiction of animals with refined humor.
Condition: very good, without any foxing, discoloration, or sun fading.
The work is presented mattified and under glass, in a varnished wooden frame, in good condition.
The artist
Born on June 27, 1847, in Gamaches, in the Somme region, Charles Fernand de Condamy came from an aristocratic family. Introduced to the fine arts at a very young age, he received classical training before becoming a student of the academic painter Félix-Joseph Barrias. He also studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris.
His artistic career flourished in the second half of the 19th century. A painter and watercolorist, he specialized in animal subjects, with a particular fondness for horses, dogs, and hunting scenes. He made watercolor his preferred technique for its fluidity and ability to capture movement.
He exhibited at the Salon des Artistes Français from 1878 onward and won a silver medal at the 1900 Paris Exposition Universelle. Appreciated by a European aristocratic clientele, his illustrations appeared in magazines such as Le Soleil du Dimanche. A great enthusiast of equestrian sports, he also produced a remarkable series of illustrations depicting polo players, demonstrating his mastery in capturing the dynamism and elegance of this sport, which was emerging in France. He is also the creator of the famous poster "His Master's Voice", whose image of an attentive dog in front of a gramophone became an advertising icon. He died in Nice on March 3, 1913.
Artwork on display at the gallery (07240).
Shipping: please contact us for shipping costs within France and internationally.
500 €
Period: 19th century
Style: Other Style
Condition: Excellent condition
Material: Water color
Width: 22,5 cm à vue / 37 cm encadré
Height: 29,5 cm à vue / 46 cm encadré
Reference (ID): 1714428
Availability: In stock
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