Ernest quost, the sainte-victoire mountain, impressionist pastel, cezanne, montparnasse setting

Ernest quost (1842-1931) Study of the sainte-victoire mountain. France, early twentieth century. Bold pastel on paper. Stamp at the bottom right "atelier ernest quost" Sun (on sight): h. 23; l. 21.5cm. Total sun: h. 44; l. 43.5cm. Cadre montparnasse, circa 1940. Provenance: sale of ernest quost's workshop. Mythical iconography. The sainte-victoire mountain, in provençal mont venturi, is located not far from aix-en-provence, in the south of france. Highlighted by paul cézanne who represented it no less than sixty times, it became an obligatory place of pilgrimage in the footsteps of cézanne for the young generation of artists. Auguste renoir, granet, wassily kandisky went there, picasso bought the castle of veuvenargues, at the foot of the mountain to set up his studio. Realized during a trip to the south, ernest quost gives us here an outdoor study, in pastel on a sheet of paper. It perfectly represents, with its impressionist touch, the contrasts of color specific to southern light. Installed in the middle of nature, he sketches an exuberant greenery, bright in the foreground, with in the background, as the main motif the mountain, in a darker palette with a cloudy sky sketching a lightening to come. Characteristic of impressionism by its touch, by the study itself, our pastel is a perfect example of this new way of painting. Ernest quost: a master of painting admired by vincent van gogh and claude monet. Painter of landscape, still life, flowers, fruits, pastellist and impressionist, he was most probably the pupil of horace aumont (1839-1864). He debuted at the salon in 1866 and exhibited at the salon des artistes français. Medalist for the first time in 1880 and then in 1882, he was again medalist (silver medal) at the universal exhibition of paris 1889. It was subsequently classified out of competition at the universal exhibitions of 1890 and 1900.

Ref. : 453BAZ9R