Lot 61

Antonín Chittussi (1847 - 1891) FRENCH LANDSCAPE

The theme of water in all its forms in the landscape can be seen in many of Antonín Chittussi's works. The faithful rendering of the landscape in the outdoors shows traces of the Barbizon School, offering room for Chittussi’s sensitivity to light and the moods that light in the landscape evokes. Chittussi masterfully works with clouds, tempering the bright sunlight; the leaves on the trees nearby, their view partially blocked by a bridge, blow about in the breeze. The surface of the water remains as smooth as glass. In the lower left one can see a rowboat waiting for a ride. Chittussi’s landscape brings not only a skillfully executed visual experience, but also an experience that is emotionally powerful.

The grandson of a trader from Ferrara, Italy, Chittussi studied at the academies in Prague, Munich, Vienna and Paris. From 1879 he worked in Paris. On the back of the work, the artist’s address at the time is inscribed on the paperboard: “Paris Rue Blanches nr. 8”. He primarily focused on outdoor landscape painting and he earned acclaim for his work exhibited at the Salon. Already during his lifetime he was considered Bohemia’s leading modern landscape artist with an international perspective. His first collected exhibition was held in  Prague in 1885. An expert assessment of the work has been prepared by Professor PhDr. Roman Prahl, CSc.