Painting Of Grenoble In 1895. View Of The Moucherotte And The Banks Of The Isère

Oil on cardboard dated 1895 depicting a view of Grenoble dominated by the Moucherotte, the iconic peak of the Vercors Massif.

The artist chose a vantage point on the banks of the Isère River, offering a balanced composition between the city, the river, and the surrounding mountains. In the foreground, a tree-lined path draws the eye toward an old fortified structure bordering the riverbanks. The river reflects the light from the sky.

At the center of the composition, the silhouettes of Grenoble’s buildings stand out, along with a church steeple—a testament to the city before the major urban transformations of the Belle Époque. To the right, the facades of the riverbanks appear, bathed in soft light.

The background is dominated by the imposing silhouette of the Moucherotte, whose contours are accentuated by the late-afternoon light. The gray-blue and ochre tones of the mountain range contrast with the deep greens of the foreground.

Dated 1895, this work offers a glimpse of Grenoble in the late 19th century, when the city still retained its character as a provincial town closely tied to its Alpine surroundings. It follows in the tradition of French landscape painters who, at that time, sought out effects of light and panoramas that created a dialogue between architecture, rivers, and mountains.

Technique: Oil on cardboard
Period: 19th century, 1895
Style: French School
Condition: Good condition
Dimensions: 40.5 × 28 cm
Unsigned, inscribed, and dated on the reverse