4. CONSTANTINOS VOLANAKIS (1837-1907) Art & décoration

Description

4. CONSTANTINOS VOLANAKIS (1837-1907) Pêche au coucher du soleil signé en grec (en bas à gauche) huile sur toile 40 x 70 cm. Provenance Private collection, Athens. A sensitive evocation of a serene Mediterranean seascape from Volanakis's Greek period (1884-1907), this work is a combination of realistic and romantic elements deftly sewn into a harmonious composition and poetic interpretation of nature. Virtuoso brushwork, immediacy of execution, and precision of detail (note the masterly handling of the fishermen, the intricate rigging of the masts and the distant sailing vessels peacefully floating on calm waters) attest to the hand of an accomplished draftsman, while the soft gradations of light and shade, the unity of effect, and the feeling of peace inspire the viewer to adopt a dreamlike attitude towards life. Particularly remarkable is the sense of open space, a grandiose spread of sea and skyscape perceived from a low viewpoint in the vein of the 17th century Dutch masters and animated by subtle but radiant lighting that lends a lyrical resonance to the work. By contrasting the horizontal stillness of the sea with the pronounced verticality of the sails and masts, the painter creates an almost metaphysical ambience where reverie is a kind of prayer. As noted by Professor D. Evangelidis, "often not even a ripple breaks the surface of the sea and only the sails and tall masts chant the harmonies of subdued colours and bring life to the scene."1. The sidelong depiction of the boat creates a powerful diagonal that intersects with the equally strong diagonal defined by the floating nets and corks. Their point of intersection draws the eye to the human activity inside the boat, while the standing figure set against the long horizon offers additional verticality to further balance the composition. As in many of his most characteristic works, Volanakis selected the subject of the fishing boat to exploit its romantic elements rather than to portray toil and struggle. Moreover, the depiction of the sun, a motif often found in folk art but rarely encountered in 19th c. Greek painting, endows the atmosphere with transient gleams of light and golden luminosities, accentuating the romantic feeling and recalling not only Claude Lorraine's masterful 17th century renditions but also the attempts of the pioneer impressionists to break away from concrete form and object. 1 : D. E. Evangelidis, Greek Art [in Greek], Athens 1969, p. 128.