André VERDILHAN (1881-1963). The port of Marseille... Lot 60

André VERDILHAN (1881-1963). The port of Marseille or "My Country". Oil on canvas signed lower left, countersigned and dated 1926 on the back (slight retractions). Height : 107 cm 107 cm - Width : 165 cm André Verdilhan (1881-1963) is a famous painter from Marseille, younger brother of Louis-Mathieu Verdilhan. He studied at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Marseille and also took up sculpture. He mainly approaches genre scenes of great realism. His works particularly well transcribe the atmosphere of the city through the crowd that gravitates around the port as can be seen in our painting where he gathers fishermen, walkers, merchants and dancers. He also makes a point of populating his paintings with many amusing details, as can be seen here on the right a dog barks at a crab that seems to be threatening it. His compositions are always balanced, the volumes carefully underlined and his palette vivid, clear and bright. His talent allowed him to be quickly recognized and he participated in numerous exhibitions such as the Salon d'Automne in 1913 or the Peintres de la Mer organized by the Ligue Navale Française in 1918 where he exhibited seven views of Marseille, Toulon and Le Havre. He also painted the monument to the heroes who were victims of the sea for the Marseilles Merchant Navy Committee. In 1936, he was appointed painter of the Navy department and participated in the decoration of the liner Normandie.