A leading figure of French Post-Impressionism, Henri Le Sidaner spent his childhood in the north of France, in Dunkirk.

This painting, offered at the rostrum by Tajan auction house in Paris, showcases the characteristic intimacy observed in many of his works. The human figure is absent but insinuated; out of sight, time seems to be stretching out mellowly, to the slow rhythm of the waters that flow inexorably towards other places.

This quiet and peaceful vision is demonstrated magnificently in Post-Impressionist style: the brushstrokes are fragmented and applied in relief, capturing the fleeting effects of light. Thanks to the Artmyn scan, it is possible to seize all the subtlety of the chromatic arrangements, all the movements of the artist's gesture, the technique employed and the diversity of the elements represented in this composition. The text below accompanies the immersion at the heart of the material that the Artmyn video offers. It is an experience that allows us to approach the creative intimacy of the painter.

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« 1931, city of Douai, North of France. The streets are empty. The undulating structures of the stream seem to be the only animation in the calm stillness of the twilight. In the utter impressionist tradition, Henri Le Sidaner uses a flat brush and a fragmented touch to represent the arch and the sky in a declination of blue and silver reflections.

In this constellation of cold colors, the atmosphere is warmed up by pink and red facades. There, on the edge of the canal, one can guess the presence of an estaminet – true place of sociability and conviviality of the North of France, where beer was poured and tobacco was sold.

With bright orange impasto brush strokes the artist illustrates a strong source of light that suggests the possibility of a human presence in a scene yet devoid of figurative representation. The presence of a powerful ray of light that flows into the wagiter allow us to enter the intimacy of this warm place. Through this poetic invitation, the artist describes with talent the atmosphere of a city that falls asleep. »