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The Artwork
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Title: The Luxembourg Garden
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Artist: Jules-René Hervé (1887–1981)
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Medium / support: Oil on canvas
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Dimensions: 22 × 27 cm (French format 3F)
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Signature: Signed lower left “Jules R. Hervé”, countersigned on the reverse, with handwritten note “Luxembourg”
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Date: Undated
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Subject: Animated view of the Luxembourg Garden in Paris, with flower beds, strolling figures and the palace in the background
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Condition: Good condition, sound canvas and original stretcher
Critical analysis
This painting perfectly embodies Jules-René Hervé’s talent for capturing the poetry of Parisian life. The scene unfolds in the Luxembourg Garden, where the palace rises with majestic lightness in the background. In the foreground, a lively group of figures forms a colorful frieze, while to the left a mother and child, painted in darker tones, introduce an intimate counterpoint. The flowers bloom with radiant dabs of color, the foliage frames the composition like a stage curtain, and the entire scene vibrates with atmosphere. Hervé excels in combining architecture and nature, grandeur and intimacy, movement and stillness. With brisk strokes and luminous accents, he conveys the joyful pulse of city life. This work is both a celebration of Paris and an invitation to contemplation.
Biography of the artist
Jules-René Hervé was born in Langres in 1887. Gifted in drawing from an early age, he moved to Paris in 1908 to pursue studies at the École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs and later at the École des Beaux-Arts. He made his debut at the Salon des Artistes Français in 1910, quickly earning recognition. His career was interrupted by World War I, yet he returned to painting and won the Silver Medal in 1914, followed by the Gold Medal in 1925.
From 1911 to 1943, he taught drawing and painting in the schools of Paris, influencing generations of students. In 1924, a travel grant enabled him to explore Europe, broadening his artistic horizons. In 1937, he won a Gold Medal at the Exposition Internationale des Arts et Techniques in Paris, and later served as vice-president of the Salon des Artistes Français.
Hervé is celebrated for his Parisian scenes: boulevards, theatres, skating rinks, gardens, all animated by his luminous brushwork. He also painted rural views, especially of his native Haute-Marne. His style, with its fresh harmonies, bright highlights and brisk gestures, continued the Impressionist tradition while developing his own poetic voice. He favored small formats such as 22 × 27 cm, allowing him to preserve the spontaneity of the moment. Until the end of his life, he exhibited regularly and sold through galleries and auctions. Jules-René Hervé died in Langres in 1981, leaving behind a body of work that remains highly sought after, a vivid and lyrical chronicle of Parisian and French life in the 20th century.
