A painting bought by the Victoria Art Gallery for £28 in 1938 has been confirmed as an original from the influential French artist Maurice de Vlaminck and is now taking pride of place in the Gallery’s newly re-hung permanent collection displays.
The framed gouache painting, “Road through a village” – a work on paper measuring 46 by 55 centimetres, was attributed to the French artist Maurice de Vlaminck (1876-1958) but this could not be verified. It was purchased by the Victoria Art Gallery from an exhibition of modern French and English pictures held in the Pump Room over the winter of 1937-38.
In March 2012, thanks to a travel and research grant from the Art Fund, Jon Benington, Manager of the Victoria Art Gallery, travelled to Paris by train to seek authentication for the painting.
Mr Benington said: “The picture was catalogued in 1938 as an original by Vlaminck, a name that now embodies huge commercial, academic and popular status. Since its acquisition, however, nobody in the Victoria Art Gallery had the opportunity to obtain expert confirmation of the painter’s identity.
“The picture therefore had a cloud hanging over it for 74 years. In order to rectify this situation, I took the painting to Paris’s renowned Wildenstein Institute for scrutiny at a special meeting of the Vlaminck Committee, so that they could decide whether or not it was an original by the artist. We are pleased to report that they decided in its favour and that the picture will be included in the forthcoming multi-volume catalogue of Vlaminck’s work.”
Vlaminck was a leading member of the Fauve group of artists who took the art world by storm in the autumn of 1905 with their intense colours and impetuous brushwork. They became known as “Les Fauves” meaning “wild beasts”.
The painting “Road through a village” shows two rows of cottages flanking a dirt road that recedes into the distance, with a few bare trees rising up towards a brooding sky. It is a perfect example of Vlaminck’s mission to express mood through violent colour and brushwork.
Councillor Cherry Beath (Lib-Dem, Combe Down), Cabinet Member for Sustainable Development, said: “Bath & North East Somerset Council is delighted that this illustrious painting in the Victoria Art Gallery’s permanent collection has at last been authenticated and can be counted as an original Vlaminck. We welcome people to come along and see it amongst the refreshed Upper Gallery’s wide ranging collection, following its first major re-hang for six years.”
The Victoria Art Gallery, near Pulteney Bridge in Bath, is open Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 5pm, Sundays 1.30pm to 5pm and closed on Mondays. Admission is free. For more details call 01225 477233 or visit the Gallery’s website http://www.victoriagal.org.uk.
