Louis Auguste Paul Magne de la Croix

LOUIS AUGUSTE PAUL MAGNE DE LA CROIX (France, 1875-Argentina, 1942)
"Esquilin".
Oil on canvas.
Signed.
Measurements: 45 x 50 cm; 50 x 62 cm (frame).

This work fits fully in the tradition of the French equestrian and animalistic portrait of the late nineteenth century, a genre highly appreciated both in the artistic field and in the equestrian and aristocratic world.

Louis Auguste Paul Magne de la Croix approaches the horse as an individual portrait, not simply as a narrative element. The precise modeling of the body, with a very careful gradation of ochers, browns and blacks that naturally describes the skin and coat. The restrained but lively brushwork, especially visible on the floor of the stable and in the transitions in the background, avoids an excessively academic finish.

Louis Auguste Paul Magne de la Croix was a singular figure who unites French academic art with Argentine paleontological science. He is recognized for being one of the first to make visual reconstructions of the extinct Cenozoic fauna in Argentina. He was a "peintre animalier" whose technical precision led him to become a pioneer of scientific illustration. His works are highly sought after by collectors of equestrian and hunting themes.