Clovis Terraire

Sunrise Over Landscape With Pond

Clovis Terraire

Sunrise Over Landscape With Pond

This late 19th-century oil painting by French artist Clovis Frederick Terraire (1858-1931) depicts a sunrise over a landscape with pond. Hailing from Marseille, Terraire was a celebrated painter of views, scenes and still lifes.

Terraire’s early years were a whirlwind of creative endeavour as he developed an advanced aptitude for both drawing and music. At the age of 20, pursuing his musical interests, he travelled to India with a theatre troupe where he presumably performed in an orchestra. Bassoon was his preferred instrument but he was equally adept as a pianist. Upon returning from his theatrical sojourn, he settled in Lyon, where he began his artistic training in earnest - studying under the supervision of Louis Guy (1824-1888). Guy was a versatile tutor with a particular skill for animal painting, a subject that would serve his pupil well.

Terraire’s landscapes are an alluring infusion of accurate draughtsmanship, movement and storytelling. His ability for composition provided a robust foundation, on which he built a narrative and atmosphere. In a piece from 1907, ‘Troupeau de Vaches S'Abreuvant’, a herd of cows amble through shallow water amid a near-luminous array of windswept grasses. Their muscular frames captured sublimely in subtle chiaroscuro and a rich palette.

A critic proclaimed how “his broad and colourful touch is perfectly assimilated to the sumptuous landscapes he describes” and how he often chose “motifs with a slightly high horizon line to better convey the majesty and grandeur of our Alpine panoramas”. He often pitched his easel in south-eastern France with Haute-Savoie, Dauphiné, Bugey and Bresse, all popular destinations.

In this work from 1891, a crescent moon hangs conspicuously amid a lazy sunrise. While a burning sky, graduated with atmospheric tints, reflects in a glimmering pond. It’s a little reminiscent of the Barbizon school painters, particularly Charles-François Daubigny (1817-1878).

Terraire’s mastery was duly rewarded with entrance into the prestigious Paris Salon, where he became a regular exhibitor. While locally, the committee at the Salon de Lyon considered him a leading light of the ‘Lyonnaise school’. Various accolades followed including medals in Lyon, Paris, and in 1927, the illustrious ‘Prix Rosa-Bonheur’.

Towards the end of his career, his style adapted to assimilate with modern tastes. His brushwork became looser and less constrained to balanced compositions. By this time, he’d been elected a member of the Salon des Artistes Français, yet continued working tirelessly to accurately reflect nature in all her shifting moods.

Signed/dated lower left and held within a gilt frame.

Learn more about Clovis Terraire in our directory.

Medium: Oil on canvas laid on board.
Overall size: 42” x 34½” / 107cm x 88cm
Year of creation: 1891
Labels & Inscriptions: Framemaker’s label (L. Leroy of Paris).
Provenance: Private collection, Sweden.
Condition: Assessed and approved by our conservator. Cleaned.
Artist’s auction maximum: £4,595 for ‘Vacher dans la Région Lyonnaise’, Oil on canvas, Sotheby's, 19th Century European Paintings And Drawings, New York, 1991 (lot 164).
Our reference: BRV1869

Conservation & History

We care profoundly about our role as custodians and every piece in the collection has been assessed by our conservator. When required, we undertake professional restoration carefully using reversible techniques and adopt a light touch to retain the aged charm of each work. We also often restore frames rather than replace them as many are original and selected by the artists themselves.

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