Henri De Saint-delis (1878–1949) - Still Life With A Samovar - Rouen School

A luminous oil painting on heavy cardboard (traditional Canson & Montgolfier support) depicting an intimate studio scene: a table set for tea with a samovar, ceramic cups, and a box of matches.

The work attests to the superb technical mastery of Henri de Saint-Delis, an iconic figure of the Rouen and Honfleur Schools. Here, the artist employs a modern touch, rich in texture (impasto), drawing on both Norman Impressionism and the chromatic freedom of Fauvism. The white tablecloth, sculpted by the light, shimmers with bluish and mauve reflections characteristic of his finest work. The impasto-like, vibrant brushwork and the color palette of ochres, blues, and powdery pinks are characteristic of the artist’s style; he trained in Le Havre alongside Othon Friesz, Raoul Dufy, and Georges Braque, before settling permanently in Honfleur, where he would paint the bulk of his body of work.

Signed at the bottom.
Work appraised by Cabinet Marc Ottavi, Paris (C.V.V.-certified expert, specialist in 19th- and 20th-century paintings).

Support: The original label from the manufacturer Canson & Montgolfier (No. 347, moiré grain) is present on the reverse, a valuable indicator of the work’s period.

Frame: Presented in a stylized molded and gilded wooden frame, adorned with an elegant burgundy velvet Marie-Louise mat that perfectly highlights the warm tones of the background