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A self-professed impressionist, Le Mayeur remained truthful and steadfast to the artistic style throughout his career. Impressionists see nature in terms of colour and light, and abandoned the traditional methods of painting using tone and form. Just as Claude Monet (1840-1926) declared "When you go out to paint, try to forget what objects you have in front of you, a tree, a field. Just think, here is a little square of blue, there is an oblong of pink, here's a steak of yellow, and paint it just as it looks to you, the exact colour and shape, until it gives your own naove impression of the scene." (Discovering The Great Paintings: Monet, Fabbri Publishing UK Ltd., edit, The Artisan Press Ltd, United Kingdom, p. 6).
Le Mayeur would apply this 'Impressionist Manifesto' to all of his works. Bali would be the perfect setting for an impressionist artist who thrives in sunlight. Dance, music, sunlight embellishing the tropical vegetation, from these subjects of the works of the artist, it is evident that Bali has become an overwhelming inspiration for him. "Except for a few journeys in the Far East, I never left the island. Why should I ? Sir, I am an impressionist. There are three things in life that I love. Beauty, sunlight and silence. Now could you tell me where to find these in a more perfect state than in Bali ?" ?" (Drs. Jop Ubbens and Cathinka Huizing, Adrien-Jean Le Mayeur de Merprès: Painter-Traveller, Wijk en Aalburg, 1995, p. 105).
These words of the artist proved to be prophetic as he never left the island till the very end of his life and only returning home to Belgium to seek medical treatment. The artist passed away in 1958, leaving a volume of works that testify to his life-long pursuit of the sunlight and beuaty.
ADRIEN-JEAN LE MAYEUR DE MERPRÈS (Belgium 1880-1958)
Women in the garden preparing offering
Details
ADRIEN-JEAN LE MAYEUR DE MERPRÈS (Belgium 1880-1958)
Women in the garden preparing offering
signed 'J Le Mayeur' (lower left)
oil on canvas
30 x 35 in. (75 x 90 cm.)
Women in the garden preparing offering
signed 'J Le Mayeur' (lower left)
oil on canvas
30 x 35 in. (75 x 90 cm.)
Sale room notice
Estimate for this lot should read: HK$1,500,000-2,000,000 (US$192,300-256,400).