Georges Manzana Pissarro
1871-1961 | French
Toits rouges à Menton
(Red Roofs in Menton)
Signed and dated “Manzana. Pissarro. 1953” (lower left)
Oil on canvas
The tenants of the impressionist style are clearly on display in this tranquil landscape by the French artist Georges Manzana Pissarro. The son of the great Impressionist Camille Pissarro, Manzana learned his craft from his father, and here he revels in the light and serenity of the French landscape. Painted in 1953, Toits rouges à Menton depicts the commune of Menton, where spent the last years of his life. There, Manzana again embraced the Impressionist tradition of his early years, painting the serene landscapes that surrounded him. Camille Pissarro's influence is strong in this work, revealing the close ties between father and son.
Born in 1871, Manzana studied with his father Camille from an early age and spent his formative years learning from some of the most important artists of the Impressionist movement, including Claude Monet and Paul Cézanne. He adopted the name Manzana in 1894 after the maiden name of his maternal grandmother, though he resumed using his family name after his father died in 1910. Subjected to rich and diverse influences, Manzana became a versatile artist, working with oil, pastel and watercolor as well as etchings, lithography and stencils. He exhibited his works at the Salon d'Automne and the Salon des Indépendants, as well as Durand Ruel and Druet galleries in Paris in the early 1900s.
In 1906 his work began to evolve, and he began experimenting with the decorative arts movement, creating tapestries, glassware, furniture, ceramics and metal work. It was the 1914 exhibition at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris that dramatically boosted his career — he exhibited 311 works including tapestries, carpets, furniture, glassware, decorative paintings, etchings and lithographs. The subsequent years were filled with bright ideas, gilded costumes and a glittering lifestyle as Manzana navigated the 1920s and 30s between Les Andelys and Paris, spending many summers in Brittany. The last years of his life were spent in Menton, where this scene was painted, with his son Félix who was also an accomplished artist.
Dated 1953
Canvas: 16“ high x 21 7/8” wide
Frame: 27 1/2“ high x 33 1/8” wide
