Sigismond Jeanès was a landscape painter and watercolourist. A self-taught artist, he honed his skills by copying the works of great masters in Italy. He collaborated with Art Nouveau artists in his hometown of Nancy, before embarking on extensive travels throughout Europe, India, and China. In 1906, he began exhibiting at the Salon d'Automne. To this day, his work is highly valued for its emotional depth and symbolic power. Jeanès passed away in 1939, leaving behind a significant body of work.
The composition of our Wave encapsulates the 1910s trend of associating waves with themes of emotional turmoil and nature’s power. Like Edvard Munch, Jeanès used bold, contrasting colours and dynamic lines on our sheet to convey ideas of perpetual change, energy, and the sublime. Inspired by Japanese prints, our Wave demonstrates the unique artistic vision and innovation that Jeanès achieved in his career.
Our gouache belonged to the collection of Tinande Verne, the wife of Jules Verne’s grandson.