Artist: Felix Francois Georges Philibert Ziem (French, 1821-1911)
Title: San Giorgio, Venice Medium: oil on panel Size: 10 5/8 x 15in (27 x 38cm) signed 'Ziem' (lower right)
Notes: The Association Felix Ziem has confirmed the authenticity of this work which will be reproduced in the forthcoming catalogue raisonné. This lot is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from the Association Félix Ziem.
Félix Ziem’s stunning oil painting depicts a sunset view of the church San Giorgio Maggiore in Venice. Set against a brilliant blue sky, the renaissance structure stands boldly illuminated in vibrant orange tones, struck by setting rays in the sumptuous blue lagoon. While Ziem painted numerous landscapes, this work represents a critical transition to his later, more impressionistic, style. The loose brushstrokes, thickly applied paint and bright blocks of pigment capture the fleeting daylight, as a glowing crescent moon rises over the sparkling canal. This interest in the transient effects of light, a central characteristic of impressionist painting, is revealed in the rippling reflection of the church in the water, the swift fleck of white paint glaring in the sky, and the dark silhouette of a mooring gondolier in the foreground.
Ziem, a French painter originally trained as an architect, was a fixture of the Paris Salon during the second half of the nineteenth century, earning him the highest title of Chevalier of the Legion of Honor. His paintings are held in several important collections, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Musée d’Orsay in Paris, and the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, among others. This work is signed by the artist, and is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity by the Association Félix Ziem. It will appear in his forthcoming catalogue raisonné.