Château Galliard, Les Andelys

Sotheby’s Canada, auction, Toronto, November 24, 2008, Lot 129 Gallery Gevik, Toronto Private Collection, Vancouver

A.K. Prakash, “Impressionism in Canada: A Journey of Rediscovery”, Stuttgart, 2015, page 555 Hélène Sicotte and Michèle Grandbois, “Clarence Gagnon, 1881-1942: Dreaming the Landscape”, Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec, Quebec City, 2006, page 70

Clarence Gagnon enrolled at the Académie Julian in Paris like many Canadian artists before him, studying under the artist Jean-Paul Laurens from 1904-05. For many artists studying in France, the art of landscape painting was learned in Brittany and Normandy, a region of scenic landscapes and discovery. In 1904 Gagnon set off from Paris with his friend, Edward Boyd, to explore the Normandy villages situated along the banks of the River Seine, River Loing and River Eure, all well-trodden paths by visiting foreign artists in the early 20th century. This trip was Gagnon’s first foray into the rest of the country, and he immersed himself in the rural landscapes and heritage of the Rouen region, with its Medieval and Renaissance architecture, quaint villages and picturesque landscape. In 1910, after his first sojourn in Canada, Gagnon returned to Normandy to paint at Les-Andelys-sur-Seine for a few months. As Hélène Sicotte remarks, “He spent some time in Les Andelys, where he made pictures of the ruins of Château Gaillard, a 12th-century castle perched high on a cliff overlooking the Seine.” The town of Les Andelys is known for its panoramic views of the Seine Valley, overlooked by the ruins of Château Galliard. This chateau was built in 1196 by Richard the Lionheart, Duke of Normandy and King of England, to watch over and protect the city of Rouen and its surroundings. The fortress was captured by King Philip II of France in 1204, after a lengthy siege with Richard the Lionheart. In 1599 this chateau was demolished at the order of Henry IV of France, and only remnants of this romantic setting remain. In this composition, Gagnon has chosen to convey the remnants of the imposing Château Galliard from a distance, which dominates the scene from its perch on the hill. The bridge over the River Seine, a few dwellings and lush clumps of poplar trees are flanked by limestone cliffs below the historical fortress. Gagnon has employed the use of a soft colour palette for this romantically picturesque composition. As A.K. Prakash shares, “From the time of his earliest paintings, he was an artist of independent vision.”