Clarence Montfort Gihon (1871 - 1929) American - View Of Sables-d'olonne - Circa 1910

View of Sables-d'Olonne, "La Chaume" - Circa 1910

Oil on canvas Signed lower left.
Signed, numbered and located on the back: (208) "La Chaume" Sables.
Dimensions: 24 x 30 cm With frame: 38.5 x 44 cm

Clarence Montfort Gihon disseminates warm colors in small dazzling touches, he spreads the light and distributes the shadow areas. The work is peaceful in the image of its subject, a sheltered place, protected from the wind and the sun which does not escape the gaze of the painter, lively and sharp. The freshness makes you want to take refuge there. He appropriately seizes this moment of tranquility, a meeting place where inhabitants, men and women, discuss and relax. The technique is lively, post-impressionist and the lines hasty.

Born in Philadelphia, Clarence M. Gihon moved to Paris in 1884 and did much of his work in France. He studied in the United States with William Merritt Chase and Keynyon C. Fox in New York then in France in the studio of Jean-Paul Laurens (1838 – 1921). His master is reputed to be one of the last major figures in historical painting; he represented the archetype of the official painter of power because of the key role he played in the artistic institutions of France. Clarence. Mr. Gihon benefits from his experience in these conditions. However, the young painter distances himself from academicism to develop his own style. The gap between his training and his way of painting is important to enlighten and understand his art. After a figurative period, he confirms his post-impressionist style. He depicts luminous landscapes in vivid colors, with dynamic brushstrokes, large and small in scale. The views he prefers are the landscapes of Paris and Normandy. He appreciates the tranquility of the seaside and the perpetual movement of the city. His paintings are collected worldwide. Christie's (New York) achieves excellent sales of his paintings.

Bibliography: •Gérard Schurr, Pierre Cabane, Dictionary of the little masters of painting, 1820-1920, t. II • Paris, Les Editions de l'amateur, 1996. Gallery and exhibitions: •Paris, private collection; Chicago, private collection; New York, private collection. He is represented by the Richard Norton Gallery in Chicago.