Renoir | Landscapes with Figures

"If you paint the leaf on a tree without using a model, your imagination will only supply you with a few leaves; but Nature offers you millions, all on the same tree.

No two leaves are exactly the same.

The artist who paints only what is in his mind must very soon repeat himself"

- Pierre-Auguste Renoir.

Caspar David Friedrich (German painter, 1774-1840)

Caspar David Friedrich was one of the greatest exponents in European art of the symbolic🎨 landscape.

He studied at the Academy in Copenhagen (1794-98), and subsequently settled in Dresden, often traveling to other parts of Germany.

Friedrich's landscapes are based entirely on those of northern Germany and are beautiful renderings of trees, hills, harbors, morning mists, and other light effects based on a close observation of nature.

Some of Friedrich's best-known paintings are expressions of a religious mysticism.

Ivan Kramskoj | Pittore Orientalista

Ivan Nikolaevič Kramskoj (Ostrogožsk, 8 giugno 1837 - San Pietroburgo, 6 aprile 1887) è stato un pittore e critico d'arte Russo, inoltre è stato il leader intellettuale dei Peredvižniki tra il 1860-1880.

Originario da una povera famiglia piccolo borghese, dal 1857-1863 studiò all'Accademia Imperiale d'Arte, in seguito si oppose all'arte accademica e fu uno degli iniziatori della rivolta dei quattordici che finì con l'espulsione dall'accademia, a causa di ciò crearono il gruppo dell'Artel dei pittori ("Артель художников").

Yarek Godfrey (Polish, 1957-2014)

Born in Olsztyn, Poland, Yarek Godfrey (real name Jaroslaw Pawel Nowicki) was a Polish artist of French, British and Austrian origins.

In 1982 he graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Cracow and the Studies for Stage Costume design for theater in Cracow.

In 1983 he moved to Paris, where he lived until his death in 2014.

Godfrey received numerous awards for his work (among others, the Gold Medal of the XXXVIII Salon of Young Artists, Grand Palais, Paris, 1987; Grand Prix of the XXVI International Art Salon Côte d’Azur, Cannes, 1990).

He presented his work at numerous group and individual exhibitions, primarily in the United States and France, but also in Belgium, Monaco or Italy. He died tragically on March 28th, 2014.

Elie Anatole Pavil | The quay of tournelle at sunset in winter

Born in Odessa, Elie Anatole Pavil (1873-1948) came to Paris in 1892 and dedicated himself to capturing its atmosphere on canvas. For most of the next fifty years he painted the cafes, the beautiful women, the jazz bands and artist ateliers of Paris.

His paintings show an intimate knowledge of the inhabitants of the streets and alley’s of Montmartre. Elegant couples dancing, beautiful models posing, working men finishing their day with a drink at the bar, all were captured in Pavil’s carefully balanced compositions, many of which show the distinct the influence of Degas🎨 and Renoir🎨.

Elie Anatole Pavil | Evening in a Parisian Cafe

Elie Anatole Pavil (1873-1948) was an Ukrainian-born French painter.

Pavil was born in Odessa, Russia in 1873. He came to Paris in 1892.

Pavil exhibited at the Salon des Artists Français, Salon des Indépendants and the Salon d’Automne. He exhibited at Galerie Charpentier, Galerie Georges Petit, and Galerie Bernheim Jeune. Claude Monet described Pavil’s paintings as “little marvels”.

He was awarded Chevailier de la l’Légion d’Honneur. Pavil also counted Pissaro among his friends. Pavil continued painting with the same passion until the end of his days.

August von Siegen (German painter, 1850-1910)

August von Siegen was a German painter🎨 who specialized in cityscapes of in the style of European and "Oriental" -Eastern Mediterranean cities.

He lived in Munich but also lived and worked in Vienna. He travelled across Europe to Holland, Venice and Rome painting the architectural landscapes of cities and towns.

He also travelled to Izmir in Turkey and produced a number of Orientalist paintings. His works are highly popular with crisp, architectural details as in this fine example.