André Des Gachons 1871-1951 Symbolist Lakeside Landscape, Berry. Crozant School, Maillaud, Rue

A very beautiful oil on canvas by André Des Gachons depicting a lakeside landscape in 1930, signed and dated lower left. The canvas measures 35x95cm and 41x101cm including the frame. This is a very interesting painting by André Des Gachons, who here depicts a lakeside landscape in 1930, most likely in the Berry region, perhaps a pond in the Brenne. As is often the case, a clear Symbolist influence can be observed, whether in the treatment of the trees or the soft, contrasting palette, where blues mingle with oranges, browns, greens, and even a few subtle touches of vermilion red. This is logical, as Des Gachons is listed among the Symbolist painters. A very beautiful work by Des Gachons, very typical of his style. André Des Gachons is well known in the Berry region, but he is also associated with the Crozant school. Indeed, he also made frequent trips to the Creuse Valley, where he painted the famous ruins and many other sites. André des Gachons, born on March 15, 1871, in Ardentes (Indre) and died on July 13, 1951, in La Chaussée-sur-Marne, Marne, was a French artist who expressed himself in several artistic disciplines, such as painting and decorative arts. He was also passionate about meteorology. André des Gachons was a student of William Bouguereau and Tony Robert-Fleury at the Académie Julian. He exhibited at the Salon from 1892. In 1893, he exhibited in Lille, where he settled at 14 rue Saint-André. He exhibited twice at the Salon des Cent, in November 1895 under the title "Imagier," published in La Plume, and in January 1898. He illustrated various works, including Émile Zola's Lourdes, Gustave Flaubert's Salammbô, Tartarin sur les Alpes in an edition published by Alphonse Lemerre in Paris in 1888, and also Albert Liger's "Jeanne d'Arc," published in 1897 with a preface by Georges d'Esparbès. From 1913, in La Chaussée-sur-Marne, he became a volunteer observer for the national meteorological service (which, in 1913, was the Central Bureau of Meteorology). Every day, at regular intervals, he made meteorological observations and painted small watercolors to accompany them, on plates that were sent to the meteorological service in Paris. 158 plates from 1915 to 1919 are preserved in the Météo-France library. He produced some 70,000 watercolors, including 9,600 meteorological watercolors. André des Gachons also attempted to make weather forecasts based on his observations and depictions. He even published several articles on the subject. The town hall of La Chaussée-sur-Marne has posted a slideshow dedicated to the artist on its website. The National Archives also hold meteorological watercolors and showcase them to illustrate their collection on climate archives. Finally, there is a substantial bibliography on this artist, in addition to his inclusion in the book on the Crozant School. This painting is in very good condition, delivered in an antique frame; the work is guaranteed authentic.