Ma Chaumiere a Kerhostin, 1908 by Maxime Maufra
Ma Chaumiere a Kerhostin, 1908 by Maxime Maufra
In his paintings Maufra stayed often quite traditional, but sometimes borrowed the more pointillisit technique of Pissarro or Sisley, and also took the strong colors and powerful drawing of the Pont Aven school. However, Maufra stayed an independent artist all his life, and dedicated his art to recording the beauty of nature.
DIMENSIONS: (unframed)38.6 x 55.1 cm/15.2 x 21.7 ins
SIGNATURE: Signed ‘Maufra’ (lower right)
MEDIUM: Oil on canvas
Price: £28,000
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Ma Chaumiere a Kerhostin, 1908 depicts Maufra’s native Brittany with quick, loose brushstrokes. Maufra rented a small farm in Clairefontaine Kerhostin, where he stayed each year before buying it in 1910.
Provenance
Private collection
Biography
Maufra first began painting when he turned eighteen years old. He was encouraged to do so by two artists from Nantes: the brothers Charles and Alfred Leduc. He did not fully embrace his painting career immediately as he was at this time a businessman; therefore he only painted in his spare moments from 1884 to 1890. It was then that Maufra discovered the Impressionists and was able to display his works at the Paris Salon of 1886. He devoted himself to painting from nature and his favoured spot was along the banks of the Loire valley.
He left Nantes for further up in Brittany, where he met Paul Gauguin (1848-1903) and Paul Serusier (1864-1927). Maufra had his first solo exhibition in Paris in 1894, at Le Barc de Toutteville. Returning from Brittany, he was the first painter to take up residence in the Bateau-Lavoir, a famous Parisian residence for artists.
Notably, Maufra remained an independent artist throughout his life, being influenced by others but always being wholly original in his output, dedicating his oeuvre to recording nature. In his works, he sometimes quoted the pointillist technique of Pissarro or Sisley, whilst he also portrayed the strong colours and powerful drawing of the Pont-Aven school.