L'orage en mer 1946

Charles Lapicque created 'L'orage en mer' using oil paint on canvas. The application is loose, energetic, almost violent; the brushstrokes are clearly visible, leaving a textured surface that vibrates with the depicted storm. Lapicque did not conceal the labor involved; this is evident in the exposed canvas peeking through, a nod to the physical processes behind the work. The painting's power comes from the artist's engagement with the materiality of paint. The vivid, contrasting colors – reds, blues, greens – aren't blended, but placed alongside each other, intensifying the dramatic tension. This raw approach to painting challenges traditional notions of refinement. Ultimately, 'L'orage en mer' celebrates the act of painting itself, emphasizing the artist's hand, and the materiality of his medium, as much as the storm at sea. This painting transcends the conventional boundaries of landscape art, inviting us to appreciate the beauty inherent in the medium, and the work, that is a process.