Alix AYMÉ (1894-1989) Lot n° 227

Flamboyants aux bords du Mékong à Vientiane, 1930 Oil on canvas 59.8 x 70 cm - 23 1/2 x 27 1/2 in. During her numerous travels Alix Aymé tamed Indochina and especially Laos. She discovered the elements that make up these wild landscapes such as the Mekong, a river that crosses no less than six countries in Southeast Asia. She writes in one of her texts « The Mekong was red and, as the rainy season had begun in Upper Laos, it was already swelling and rolling turbid waters. Little bonzillons dressed in bright yellow were chanting Paleo in the pagoda at the end of the road. » While Alix Aymé has produced numerous works depicting the people of the area, the depiction of the landscapes surrounding these natives is just as well illustrated. In Flamboyants aux bords du Mékong à Vientiane, the artist addresses two aspects of Laotian culture: nature and religion. Flamboyants, trees with bright red flowers, are very present in Southeast Asia. A territory with ideal climatic conditions, flamboyants originating from Madagascar populate the banks of the Mekong. Nicknamed « flowers of paradise » their blooming is visible only after ten years of planting. The bright color of these flowers allows Alix Aymé to deploy a colorful palette with Nabis resonance. The orange-red mixes with the green of the other flowers and contrasts cheerfully with the blue of the sky and the pale yellow trail of the Mekong. Yellow is also found in the dress of Buddhist monks contemplating the banks of this river in Vientiane. Capital of Laos, this city counts among its monuments the most sacred of the country, the Pha That Luang. A Buddhist stupa covered with 500 kilos of gold leaves, it is the place of festivities during the full moon in November. If the festival of Boun That Luang is the occasion to gather many monks, they are also very present in the daily life; Buddhism being the main religion of Laos. Preaching material detachment, these monks have shaved heads and wear orange or yellow robes. The robes of the monks in this painting are gold and dawn, symbolizing purity. Through an apparently simple representation, Alix Aymé captures the serenity and tranquility of the Mekong river banks while paying tribute to the beauty of the landscape.