Sous L´arbre Rolleboise 1926

Maximilien Luce made this painting, Sous L´arbre Rolleboise, with oil on canvas using short brushstrokes and dabs of blues, greens, and browns, capturing a summery scene. I imagine him standing there, squinting in the sun, trying to capture the light as it dapples through the leaves. You can see the quick, sure strokes where he’s built up the image bit by bit, almost like he’s knitting the scene together. I bet Luce stood there wrestling with how to get the atmosphere just right. The paint isn't too thick, but it has got this juicy quality, especially in the way he renders the foliage and the figures under the tree. Look at how he’s handled the figures—they're like these blocks of color, but they totally evoke a sense of quiet and companionship. There's a conversation happening between these figures, not just amongst themselves, but with the trees and the landscape. Luce was part of this big conversation among painters, all riffing off each other, pushing and pulling at the boundaries of what painting could do. I’m always fascinated by how artists find new ways to express something deeply felt, and Luce definitely does that here. It feels unresolved and open.