(1877 Paris – Meudon 1957)
The Gardens of the Villa d’Este
Oil on canvas
55 x 75 cm
Signed et dated at the lower right : GEORGES LEROUX 1908
Exhibition: probably exhibited at the Georges Leroux Exhibition, Galerie Devambez, 1913, no. 38 in the catalogue “Les Cyprès de la Villa d’Este ”
It was following his Prix de Rome in 1906, awarded for The Family in Antiquity (now held at the École Nationale des Beaux-Arts in Paris), that Leroux made his first stay in Rome as a resident, from 1907 to 1909. Dazzled by the light of Italy, the young Parisian would return to the country many times throughout his life, travelling from Veneto to Tuscany, and from Umbria to Naples. In 1913, Leroux sent numerous paintings of Italian landscapes to the renowned Galerie Devambez, located at 43 boulevard Malesherbes, for exhibition. It is likely that the present painting was shown there—listed as no. 38 in the catalogue—between 8 and 22 January 1913.
This esteemed institution, located in the heart of elegant early 20th-century Paris, was initially specialised in printmaking before going on to exhibit artists of classical modernity such as Leroux, as well as leading figures of the Avant-garde including Picasso, Matisse, and de Chirico. The journalist and critic Henry Bérenger referred to the 70 works assembled by Leroux—views of Italy and Sicily—as the work of “one of the finest pupils of the École de Rome.” The Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna in Rome notably holds Promenade du Pincio, an impressively large canvas.
This official recognition was confirmed by numerous state commissions and acquisitions, a participation in the 1937 Paris Universal Exhibition, and a long-standing career at the Institut. However, it is important to note that the painter and his work were profoundly affected by his involvement in the First World War, making these dreamlike, light-filled landscapes the poignant witnesses of the first part of his life, still marked by a sense of carefree serenity.
The present painting reveals the warm, luminous palette so characteristic of Leroux, structured around the contrast between azure greens and pinkish oranges. The composition opens onto a vast expanse seen from a high vantage point at the top of a promontory. In the foreground, acting as a repoussoir, a sunlit wall—its beige surface tinged with pink in the late afternoon light—extends to either side and opens onto a balustrade. This balustrade allows access via stairways on both the left and right, leading down to the magnificent garden that covers the slope of the terrain. From this verdant expanse emerge a few umbrella pines to the left, while majestic cypresses rise and abundantly populate the rest of the landscape.
The two tallest conifers, on the right side of the composition, allow the scene painted by Leroux to be identified as the Villa d’Este, in the town of Tivoli, not far from Rome. This remarkable palace, built by Cardinal Ippolito d’Este in the mid-16th century, is notable for its elevated position overlooking gardens laid out along a central axis designed to highlight the grandeur of the residence. The entrance is located at the far end of this axis, lined with splendid cypress trees.
Although the artist painted the Villa d’Este, its gardens, and its basin on numerous occasions, the viewpoint he chose for the present work is rather unusual. On this occasion, he opted not to highlight the Italian Renaissance monument itself, but instead to focus on the vast panoramic view it offers from the balconies of its façade.
In this painting, Leroux places greater emphasis on the atmosphere and the breathtaking view, inviting the viewer to step into the shoes of the painter—or perhaps even of a descendant of the noble House of Este, to whom the sumptuous palace still belonged on the eve of the First World War, before becoming national property in its aftermath. The vibrant textures and shimmering light that permeate the canvas evoke a vivid memory of that bygone, dreamlike era at the dawn of the 20th century.