Joseph LÉPINE
(Rochefort 1867 – Paris 1943)
Vase with a Bouquet of Lilacs Against a Landscape
Oil on heavy cardboard mounted on a cross-braced stretcher
H. 72 cm ; W. 86 cm
Monogrammed lower left. Signed lower right.
Circa 1923
Joseph Lépine soon settled in Bordeaux, where he studied under Louis-Alexandre Cabié, a well-known regional landscape painter and mentor to many early 20th-century artists. Despite his master's warnings, he sought to engage with the Parisian modernity of the late 19th century and explore Impressionist—and even early Post-Impressionist—styles. There, he became a student of the Neoclassical painters Courtois and Girardot, both former pupils of the renowned Jean-Léon Gérôme.
By 1897, he was exhibiting at the Salon, submitting landscapes of Provence. In 1905, he became a member of the *Société des Artistes Indépendants*—the same year that Fauve artists Matisse, Derain, and Vlaminck participated in and rose to prominence at the *Salon d’Automne*. A state purchase from the 1908 *Salon des Indépendants*—the painting *Vieille boutique* (Old Shop), now held by the Museum of Menton—marked the official launch of his career. That same year, he exhibited at the Royal Albert Hall in London at the invitation of the Allied Artists' Association, demonstrating his growing distinction within the international art scene. In Paris, the artist met a number of prominent painters of the era in the Montmartre and Montparnasse districts, notably Matisse and Signac. His approach to painting relies notably on his handling of material, light, and color; their juxtaposition creates an interplay of saturation and composition, incorporating visible areas of unpainted canvas. After World War I, Lépine returned frequently to his native region, painting landscapes around Bordeaux and along the Dordogne River, extending as far as the charming scenery of the lower Corrèze—including Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne and Argentat—as well as the Lot department, with the cliffside architecture of Saint-Cirq-Lapopie.
In 1939 and 1941, the City of Bordeaux and the French State acquired two of his works: a landscape near Verdelais and a view of the Church of Saint-Michel in Bordeaux.
Today, he is regarded as a pivotal figure in Bordeaux painting...
Category
1920s Impressionist Cardboard Paintings