Masterpiece: London Effect of Light and Smoke on the Thames, Tower Bridge, 1907 Contemporary to Monet Watercolour on Paper

"Turner Whistler Monet" was the title of an extraordinary show at the Tate in 2005, and Gaston Prunier would have found a place in that exhibition. Whistler and Monet were friends, and both acknowledged the profound influence of Turner, adopting and working their own variations on themes developed by the latter. French impressionist Gaston Prunier takes on the same challenge, during a stay in London in 1907. Originally from Le Havre, the sea port where the Seine empties into the Channel, Prunier was clearly fascinated with the effect of light on water. The river Thames provided him with new opportunities to paint water, boats and maritime activity.

The resulting watercolours were the subject of an exhibition at the Galerie Allard in Paris in 1908. As writes "Studio", Illustrated Magazine of Fine and Applied Art:

".... Gaston Prunier, to whom reference has often

been made in these pages and who, let me add,

is very much in favour with the Parisian public

just now, showed a collection of water-colours —

the fruits of a visit to London. Never has

he played more skilfully with light than in his

interpretations of those fine haze effects which

one sees at various times of the day in the

neighbourhood of the Thames."

The watercolour presented here, which featured in the exhibition, is a wonderful example of Pruniers play with light and fog.

Measuring 50 x 65 cm, it is presented in its original frame. The overall framed size is 63 x 78 cm. The painting is signed at the lower right.

Works by Gaston Prunier are in the collections of the Musée d'Orsay, the Musée Carnavalet, the Cabinet of drawings at the Louvre, in the Museums of Le Havre, Toulouse, Dijon, Limoges and others, as well as in the National Gallery of Rumania. His paintings are valuable - for reference, the last photo of this listing shows an auction result for a similar work in oil at Bonhams.

Nous parlons français, und wir sprechen auch Deutsch! Paintings may be viewed in Norwich and in Paris, as well as in London and Cambridge by appointment. Please contact us if you would like further details and images of an artwork.