L'allee du Jardin de Colette 1929 - 1932

Andre Dunoyer de Segonzac made this etching, L'allee du Jardin de Colette, with seemingly simple lines that dance across the surface. You can see the hand of the artist here in the immediacy of the marks, almost like a quick sketch, full of life and energy. The texture feels almost overgrown, teeming with detail, like the garden itself is bursting out of the paper. The composition invites us down the path, the artist uses mark making to guide our eye. Notice that slightly darker area around the doorway and how the marks begin to build to create a sense of depth. It’s as if the artist is saying, "Come, wander with me." Segonzac reminds me a little of Matisse. Both artists share this incredible ability to distill form to its purest essence, with a line that feels both economical and voluptuous. The piece feels very French. A celebration of the everyday, elevated through the simple act of looking, and, of course, drawing.