Jean Aubery (1880–1952), A Sun-drenched Street In Provence

A Provençal street bathed in sunlight and the famous southern light that Jean Aubéry knew so well.
Plane trees with mighty trunks frame the right side of the composition, and as is often the case with this artist, the roadway occupies nearly the lower half of the painting, covered with patches of shadow and light.
In the background, a white wall, pink rooftops, and a gabled house close off the perspective.
The liveliness of the scene is conveyed by small silhouettes of figures: a woman in black, another in red, and a childin white on the right.
The work, in excellent condition, is presented in a lovely gilded wooden frame from the 1930s measuring 41 cm by 53 cm, with the canvas itself measuring 33 cm by 41 cm.
Light is the true subject of the painting; the contrasts between the sunlit, very bright areas and the shadows cast by the foliage—in blues, purples, and greens—perfectly capture the sensation of southern warmth.
The shadows are not rendered in gray or brown, but in vibrant colors, true to the Post-Impressionist tradition and The broad, generous brushwork, composed of small, juxtaposed patches of color, is in the spirit of the Provençal Fauvist painters of the early 20th century.
A warm, cheerful, and delightful painting and a beautiful study of authentic, well-constructed southern light, whose quality lies in the accuracy of the color relation ships and the energy of the brushstrokes.

Jean Aubery studied at the Marseille School of Fine Arts in the Parisian studios of Gérôme, Himbert, and Duffaud, and was awarded the Chenavard Prize in 1904 for his painting "Return from Fishing."
A drawing teacher at the Société de l'Enseignement Moderne, he longed for his homeland and returned to Marseille.
He then exhibited at all the local salons and at the Salon des Artistes Français from 1905 to 1940, where he received numerous awards: an honorable mention, the Paul Liot Prize, and a silver medal in 1931; the Cyrille Besset Prize in 1934; and a gold medal in 1937 for "Le Quai de Rive Neuve, Marseille" and "Dans mon jardin."
He had distinguished himself early on with his solid drawing, powerful modeling, and the vibrant construction of subjects such as "Les Déloadeurs de Sel" and "Les Gasseurs de Lavande."

At the Draguignan Museum: "L'Estaque"
At the Marseille Museum of Fine Arts: "Lavender Carriers", "Niolon Cove"
At the Regards de Provence Foundation: "Port of Cassis" and "L'Estaque"