FÉLIX VALLOTTON (1865-1925)

This atmospheric painting by Félix Vallotton shows the winter in Southern France, where the painter was often drawn to during the winter months from as early as 1905, when spent six weeks in Nice. In November 1920 he travelled for the first time for four months to Cagnes, where he furnished a studio for himself. From Cagnes he undertook different excursions in the subsequent years to nearby localities, including Menton. He visited the pictorial small town close to the border with Italy at the beginning of January 1925. In addition to the present work, Cagnes is the subject of four further paintings from this time. La claire-voie, Menton bears the erroneous date of 1924, the work clearly appears in the artist's handlist as being created during 1925. Vallotton did not add his signature and date to the work until December 1925, in preparation for it to be shown at an exhibition of his works at the Galerie Druet the following year, shortly before his death.