Theo Van Rysselberghe put all his love of the South into this light-drenched landscape.
Looking at this painting, it is easy to understand why Théo Van Rysselberghe (1862-1926) felt so good in this part of Lavandou in the Var. The Belgian artist had a house studio built there overlooking the sea with views of the Golden Islands in the distance in the changing daylight. The work dates from 1913, four years after he moved in, surrounded by pines, olive trees and fields of flowers, such as these fragrant Anthemis, also called “Roman chamomile”, cultivated for medicinal purposes. Here Van Rysselberghe translated a festival of colours into a painting that still looks fresh over 100 years later. That certainly explains the excellent result it achieved: €176,088. In 2007, the municipality bought Villa Théo, which was restored and opened to the public 10 years later. It is a stop on the Painters' Trail, used by hikers, which offers a balcony overlooking the Mediterranean.
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