Augustin Lesage (French, 1876-1954)

An important French visionary artist, Augustin Lesage began making his densely detailed works after an epiphany in 1911: "All of a sudden I heard a voice, a very clear voice, that said: 'One day you will be a painter.' I looked all around to see where the voice was coming from. There was nobody there. I was quite alone." Unlike many other Self-Taught artists, his works are art historically aware and are filled with references to other cultures and religions. The present example borrows iconography from Byzantine architecture and showcases the artist's fine use of perspective, color and detail.