The images and information presented below are for the instruction of students and scholarly research.
Abel Lauvray
(1870-1950)
Think that you may own a painting by Abel Lauvray? We authenticate, appraise, research and issue certificates of authenticity (COA) and provide consultations for all paintings by Abel Lauvray.
Abel Lauvray is
perhaps best known for his affiliation with Claude
Monet. Lauvray met Monet, then his neighbor in Vetheuil,
France, as a young boy in 1879. In fact, with the
assistance of Lauvray’s father, Monet was able to
purchase a tract of land near their homes in Giverny.
This land would later be used in Monet's famous lily
pond paintings. The two retained a lifelong friendship,
and it was undoubtedly Monet's influence on Lauvray that
helped him to become a talented landscape painter.
Vetheuil
Lauvray’s earliest
instruction was from Monet and later at the School of
Fine Arts. While he was inspired by and looked up to
Monet, Lauvray did not imitate his friend and master.
While Monet became famous for his Impressionist
landscapes, Lauvray chose to paint in a more realistic
tone, and typically signed his work “Lauvray” on the
front of his canvas. However, Lauvray did learn lighting
and plein-air techniques from Monet, which would be
integral in the formation of his personal style.
Paysage
During his lifetime,
Lauvray did not travel much outside of his beloved
country settings. As a young man, he ventured to the
south of France, Italy and to metropolitan French
cities, but was most at home on the country banks of the
Seine. However, Lauvray did venture to Greece once, and
produced some 20 paintings while he was there. This was
unusual as many painters during this time traveled
instead to the United States or Africa, and very few
ventured to the Grecian isles.
Syracuse
By 1906, Lauvray had
begun exhibiting regularly at the Salon des Independants.
He had found success at other salons from the start of
his career, but did not truly begin to blossom as a
painter until much later on. Lauvray never really
received the acclaim that he was due, perhaps because he
was so far removed from the Parisian art scene. While
other artists were busy making friends and connections
with art dealers, Lauvray was happy painting alone and
unbothered in his rural home. As a young man, he worked
just as hard as any other artists to promote himself,
but after his marriage, was less concerned with gaining
notoriety. Sadly, this has carried over into today, and
his name still remains lesser known outside of certain
art circles.
St. Tropez
Lauvray continued to
live a quiet, but successful existence as a painter with
his family until 1939, when World War II was beginning
to break out. Luckily, Lauvray escaped, but was removed
from his home and studio until 1945. Sadly, many of his
treasured items were stolen or destroyed, including
numerous paintings and drawings from all stages in his
career. It is not known for sure exactly what was taken,
but the possibility for these paintings to exist
virtually anywhere is great.
Do you think that you might own an Abel Lauvray? Contact us. We are the Abel Lauvray experts.
