Julie Mathon
Associate Specialist
Lot 18
CONSTANTINOS MALEAS(1879-1928)Paysage, Kessariani
21 May 2025, 13:00 CEST
Paris, Avenue Hoche€15,000 - €20,000
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Nefeli Mandragouda
Sale Coordinator, Discovery & Greek Sales
CONSTANTINOS MALEAS (1879-1928)
Paysage, Kessariani
signé en grec en bas à droite
huile sur carton
54 x 32 cm. (21 1/4 x 12 5/8in.)
signed in Greek lower right
oil on cardboard
signé en grec en bas à droite
huile sur carton
54 x 32 cm. (21 1/4 x 12 5/8in.)
signed in Greek lower right
oil on cardboard
Footnotes
Featuring highly schematised forms, powerful outlines and monumental rendering of volumes, this exquisite canvas is a fine example of Maleas's mature period. In full control of his medium, the artist transformed the stimuli of the visible world into a language of formal elements articulated around a solid architectural structure of strong verticals, defined by the foreground tree trunk, and counterbalancing horizontals that cut through the picture plane.
A restless mind, Maleas travelled extensively in mainland and insular Greece during the 1920s, attentively studying the defining features of this age-old land. His aim was not to produce picturesque views of evocative details or dramatic effects, but to investigate and solve pictorial issues beyond the mere recording of a specific location. He organised space as a system of forms, seeking an underlying structure that would allow him to convey a sense of endurance and permanence. Strong colours, pronounced textural quality, sharp outlines and animated brushwork set an overall tone that transcends fleeting atmospheric effects and momentary sense impressions, recalling the teachings of Cezanne who exhorted painters to delve into the inner world of the landscape and capture its everlasting truth.