Marie Mela MUTER (1876-1967) - Lot 167

Marie Mela MUTER (1876-1967) In Provence Oil on panel. Signed lower left. Inscribed on a label stuck to the back of the panel "Marie Mela Muter, en Provence, n°20F. 73 x 60 cm, prix 60 000". Inscription on another label "N1023". 60 x 73 cm (Small lack on the upper edge and towards the bottom right) Mela Muter, a painter of Polish origin, settled in Paris around 1901. She was noticed by the dealer Ambroise Vollard at her first exhibitions at the Salons d'Automne and des Indépendants. Initially influenced by Symbolism, her painting quickly evolved towards expressionist brushwork and vivid colors, reflecting her interest in the art of Vincent van Gogh, Paul Cézanne and Édouard Vuillard, as evidenced by our work. From 1940 onwards, Mela Muter took refuge in Avignon and continued to paint from the Rocher des Doms, a breathtaking vantage point over the city of Avignon, as in our painting. The play of angles between the roofs of the houses, the bell towers and the walls of the fortress contrasts with the curves of the winding road leading to the town and the olive groves, creating a dynamic rhythm with a very free and lively brushstroke. This work on shapes and palette is representative of the painter's period.