Market Day In Front Of The Tower Of The Penitents, Mende – Oil On Panel – Circa 1960

Market Day in Front of the Tour des Pénitents, Mende (Lozère)
E. Dejour (or Dejaur), unidentified artist, 20th century
Oil on plywood panel
46.5 × 38.5 cm (55.4 × 47.5 cm with frame)
Signed lower center
Attractive stained wood frame with multiple moldings, beaded border on the picture

Here is a lively scene in the heart of old Mende. Bathed in light, the famous Tour des Pénitents—the former Auriac Tower, the last remnant of the city’s medieval ramparts—rises with its massive silhouette above the white chapel of the White Penitents, while the market hall can be glimpsed on the left. In the foreground, bathed in the cool shade of the street, a small crowd gathers in front of a fruit and vegetable vendor’s stall: one can make out the crates overflowing with fruit and greens, the silhouettes in light-colored dresses from the 1950s and 60s, the entire tranquil scene of a small-town market morning.

The artist, who signs “E. Dejour,” remains unidentified, but the style is that of a skilled painter in the Post-Impressionist tradition: bold, impasto brushwork, a sense of contrast between the sunlit facade and the street in the shadows, a subdued palette enlivened by the bright hues of the fruit.

The painting’s appeal also lies in its geographical rarity: Lozère, one of France’s least populated and most secluded departments, is very rarely depicted in paintings. Views of Mende, especially those featuring a genre scene, are uncommon on the market.

Condition: very good condition. The plywood panel, a stable support, shows no warping; the paint layer is sound. The molded, stained wooden frame, in harmony with the subject, is also in good condition.

Work available for viewing at the gallery (07240)
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