Offered by Franck Baptiste Paris
Calm and Storm.
A pair of oil paintings on canvas signed Delacroix, 1773
The Storm depicts a shipwreck during a violent storm. A dark and turbulent sky dominates the composition as waves crash against the rocks. Offshore, ships list precariously, sails and masts battered by the wind. In the foreground, figures struggle to pull a heavy rope, undoubtedly attempting to haul a lifeboat or rescue the shipwrecked, heightening the dramatic tension and urgency of the scene.
As a companion piece, Calm Seascape depicts a Mediterranean port dominated by a tower rising from the shore. Under a golden sky with the warm tones of sunset, a ship rests at anchor while a longboat reaches the shore and peacefully disembarks its passengers. In the foreground, a few fishermen are busy with their nets and baskets, imbuing the scene with a luminous and serene atmosphere, in perfect contrast to the violence of the storm.
Excellent condition.
Both canvases are signed and dated on the rocks, the one depicting the storm on the right and the one depicting calm on the left, "Delacroix 1773".
Dimensions:
The Storm:
Canvas: Height: 36.5 cm; Width: 78 cm; Frame: Height: 45 cm; Width: 85 cm
The Calm:
Canvas: Height: 35 cm; Width: 76.5 cm; Frame: Height: 84 cm; Width: 44 cm
Charles-François Grenier de Lacroix, known as Lacroix de Marseille (c. 1700–1782)
A French painter born in Marseille, Charles-François Grenier de Lacroix belongs to the great tradition of 18th-century marine painting. Evolving within the orbit of Claude-Joseph Vernet, he developed a style of port landscape painting that blends contrasting atmospheric effects, lively shoreline scenes, and Mediterranean architecture. His work is distinguished by the dramatic staging of the elements and by a particular attention to light and the everyday figures that populate his compositions.
Our opinion: Our two works are emblematic of Lacroix de Marseille at his best. They feature his subtly modeled, icy blue skies and his picturesque figures, in this case, Provençal fishermen in traditional dress. The meticulous attention to detail in the ropes, the rigging of the ships, and the fishing gear reveals a remarkable eye for observation. A particularly rare occurrence, both canvases are signed, each on its own side, giving the set the unmistakable character of a true original pair, a quality that is especially rare on the market.
