French School
Maurice Lemaître was a French impressionist painter, born on October 17th, 1929, in Gouy sous Bellonne, who passed away on May 9th, 2018. It is important to distinguish him from his contemporary, the lettrism painter of the same name (1926–2018). Choosing to specialize in landscape painting, Lemaître worked in a loose, expressive manner, using almost linear strokes to block in elements like trees, grass, distant hills, and flowing rivers. He had a preference for the light and airy compositions of spring and summer, achieving a harmonious balance of tones that captured nature’s gracious beauty. His subjects often included the landscapes of Brittany and Provence, from the lush greenery of Northern France to the dry, dusty hills of the south. While his paintings are fundamentally impressionistic, they possess a subtle realistic quality when viewed from a distance. Lemaître’s work was exhibited in prestigious institutions such as the Pushkin Museum in Moscow and the Hermitage in St. Petersburg. He is listed in the French Benezit (page 563), was a member of the l’Association des Paysagistes Français, and won numerous awards for his work.