Camille Merlaud (1877–1957) The House With The Tower Dordogne Ribérac Verteillac

Camille MERLAUD
(Verteillac 1877–1957)
The House with the Tower
Oil on cardboard
H. 24 cm; W. 35 cm
Signed lower right. Dated 1954

Provenance: Private collection, Périgord

Born in Verteillac in the heart of the Ribérac canton, Camille Merlaud is remembered in the Périgord region not only as an amateur painter and draftsman, but also as a musician. He appears to have taken up painting at a very early age, as several known works are dated to the 1890s and feature a very simple figurative style. It is around the time of World War I that we know the most about Merlaud and his works, which consist mainly of portraits and scenes of French trenches. During this period, he was called up and went to the front as a sergeant major, or “bandmaster.” He brought rhythm to life behind the trenches by organizing concerts along the front lines, featuring dozens of musicians. Enlisted in the Territorial Army with the 93^rd Périgueux Regiment, he also served as a medic during the conflict. The works from this period, which the artist regularly gave away or sold, frequently appear on the art market.

Inspired by his native region, Camille Merlaud depicted throughout his career images of the countryside and the people who brought it to life. Peasants leading their oxen to plow the fields or making hay, cracking walnuts by thecantou while a peasant woman spins wool on her spinning wheel—not to mention his depictions of the landscapes of the Dronne and the Isle. A true testament to rural life, the painter’s rural scenes earned him the Agricultural Merit Medal. Camille Merlaud, deeply passionate about his art, exhibited at several European art salons, such as the Salon des Indépendants in Paris, and, of course, remained a loyal participant in the Périgueux Salon. He died, as he wished, alone, in his studio in Verteillac, where his family still owns the large store bearing the unmistakable sign bearing the name of this passionate artist.

This simple composition was likely a commission or a gift from the artist, depicting a home in the Verteillac area. This house, with its tower serving as a dovecote, is presented here as a portrait rather than a landscape.