Maximilien Luce (1858-1941) was a French Neo-Impressionist. In his youth he became a qualified engraver and worked in London for Eugène Froment. However, quite soon he came back home to Paris. As an anarchist Luce got close to Camille Pissarro, who introduced him to Georges Seurat (1859-1891) and Paul Signac (1863-1935). Notably, most of Neo-Impressionists shared anarchist convinctions at that time.
An important art critic and the author of the term “Neo-Impressionism” Félix Fénéon described works by Luce as ‘muscular’ and ‘cerebral’. In particular, his version of Pointillism technique, involving small marks of contrasting colours, that build the image, does not create the feeling of mechanicalness. Although Maximilien Luce spent much time exploring the Divisionist technique of color separation, he is known for transmiting emotions and feelings.
The artist worked in many genres, including the industrial, presented in our collection. Especially, he featured the heavy manufacturing and its workers.
“DEUX HOMMES” by Maximilien Luce
“DEUX HOMMES” are regular workers. Maximilien Luce depicted the pains of ordinary people. Precisely painted contours of two labors are full of motion. Luce’s art reflected societal changes of his time. The dedication to the social justice set him apart from some of colleagues.
Artworks by Maximilien Luce can be found in many galleries and museums, the most famous are in the collection of Musée d’Orsay in Paris.
In addition, check the painting “Workers in the Field” by Aharon Deitsch, one of painters of the Land of Israel from the 1920s.
Kings Gallery is a leading fine art gallery established in Jerusalem in 1995. We strive to collect and sell the highest quality historic and contemporary Israeli and International art. Especially, the gallery specializes in artists from the early period of the 1920’s. Besides, Kings gallery features leading up-and-coming young artists who will definitely be prominent names in the next few years.
