In this painting, Art Nouveau French illustrator Georges Lepape depicts a high moment of personal drama. He exquisitely renders a beautiful yet solitary woman sitting on the beach. She is dressed in a patterned green dress. He captures the precise moment when she's see her male friend semi-silhouette with outstretched arms as he breaks over the hilltop. "I'm back" he gestures. The artist deftly establishes a line of sight between the two distant figures.
"Le Retour." Illustration for unknown publication. Gouache, graphite, and silver highlighting on paper mounted to thin board. 317x214 mm; 12 1/2x8 1/4 inches, mounted to 13 1/2x9 1/2-inch board. Signed "Geo. Lepape" and dated 1916 in lower right image.
Exhibited: Galerie Luxembourg, April to June 1978, cat. no. 68.
This original gouache was subsequently reproduced in Georges Lepape, ou l'élégance illustrée by Claude Lepape and Thierry Defer (Paris: Herscher, 1983), page 84. UnFramed
Georges Lepape, French, 1887–1971
Gouache and Silver highlighting
12.5 - 8.25 inches
US$39,000 Plus Shipping
