This painting by Jean-Louis Paguenaud is a picturesque scene which takes place along the water of the Grand Canal in Venice. Paguenaud was interested in the water鈥檚 movement as well as the reflections from the boats and facades, and represented this Venetian atmosphere with a steady yet expressive stroke that reveals a certain quickness in his technique. Some areas are painted more thickly and give volume to this large-scale oil on canvas. The impastos in the upper part of the work form thick white layers which illuminate the work and attract the spectator鈥檚 eye. His technique of accentuating and enhancing the work recalls that of his contemporaries, especially Fernand Maillaud. The work illustrates Paguenaud鈥檚 sense of observation, as well as his talent as a colorist and skill for composition.

The date and signature allows us to confirm the affiliation of the painting to Jean-Louis Paguenaud. The signature is accompanied by a distinctive sign made up of two interlaced anchors that indicate the artist鈥檚 hesitation between two vocations, that of painter or sailor. The date of execution, 1912, corresponds to a specific artistic period, during which Paguenaud exhibited at the French Artists Salon in Paris.

Biography of the artist

Jean-Louis Paguenaud was a French painter from the twentieth century, mostly known for his portraits and marine landscapes. "He is one of the last greatest Romantic painters and travelers," said Vincent P茅caud, who published an illustrated catalogue raisonn茅 of his work in 2010. His artistic production was abundant and, as mentioned by the author, many have yet to be located.

Paguenaud spent the first fifteen years of his life in Algiers before moving to Limoges where he learned the art of painting on porcelain. He then studied under William Bouguereau, a rigorous and academic painter from the Bordeaux Academy of Fine Arts. He traveled to Martinique and several locations in Northern Africa. For a certain period in Paris he lived on a barge, then once more in Limoges during the Occupation. During this period he met Paul Val茅ry, who appointed him "admiral of painters and painter of admirals鈥�; a famous phrase. Paguenaud had at the time already acquired a good reputation, for example, taking part in the prestigious cruise aboard the "Lamotte-Piquet" belonging to the French fleet, which would bear the fame of France to the colonies in Central America and South American countries.

Four periods may be defined during his career, starting with his "formative period" in Biarritz from 1876 to 1902, followed by his "orientalist period" from 1902 to 1921, during which he exhibited twice at the French Artists Salon, in 1905 and 1912, of which he later became a member. He also showed his work in personal exhibitions, such as a Parisian gallery in the street La Bo茅tie. The third period dated between 1921 and 1942, when Paguenaud became official painter for the Navy. Finally, certain works were painted between 1943 and 1952, during his stay in the Limousin. In 1981, the Museum of Toulon organized a major retrospective of his work.

Besides "Canal in Venice", Jean-Louis Paguenaud鈥檚 works may be found in Paris, at the Navy Museum, where an entire room is dedicated to him, at the Museum of Modern Art, the Ministry of the Navy, but also at the Museum of Naval Health in Bordeaux and the Naval Club in Toulon. Furthermore, the city hall and church of Coussac-Bonneval, his hometown, hold some of his works, as well as the Jumilhac ch芒teau in Haute-Vienne or the city of Limoges, where he lived and painted at the end of his life.

Some auctions of Paguenaud鈥檚 works are quite notable, such as those held on 10 February, 1943 in Paris, where "Sail boat in high seas" sold for 1400 francs, on 20 December, 1950 in Clermont-Ferrand, where "Marine" sold for 2100 francs, on the 14 December 1976 in Paris, where "North African Market" sold for 5,000 francs or on 4 December 1987 in Paris, where "Squadron starboard view" sold for 12 500 francs, among others. These sales highlight the appropriateness Gerarld Shurr鈥檚 book title "Small Masters of Tomorrow鈥檚 Valuable Paintings" (1979), in which Paguenaud is mentioned.

Furthermore, canvases marked with Paguenaud鈥檚 signature including the two fanciful interlaced anchors sold more easily. About twenty of his works are marked by this sign, which he adopted during his stay in Biarritz in 1901-1902, when the sea became his favorite subject to paint. He took the name Jean in honor of his paternal grandfather and from 1914 onward added Louis to this name, in memory of his brother who died at war. Ten years after painting "Canal in Venice", Paguenaud was nominated 鈥渢enured artist of the naval department." His signature changed once more and he began using a simple anchor.