French school; 20th century.

French school; 20th century.
"Views of Algeria," 1943.
Wax on paper.
Signed and dated.
Measurements: 17 x 22.5 cm (x2).
Made in wax on paper, they transmit an intimate and vibrant look of the landscape and daily life in North Africa. Through a technique that privileges texture and the immediacy of gesture, the artist succeeds in capturing not so much the precise detail as the emotional atmosphere of the places depicted. In the first scene, a lively square unfolds in front of an Islamic-inspired architecture, with a dome and a minaret that evoke the presence of a mosque. The human figures, barely sketched with loose strokes and bright colors, seem to move in an almost musical rhythm. The palette, dominated by warm ochers, luminous whites and accents of red, green and violet, suggests the bustle and diversity of the environment. Rather than depicting individuals, the artist suggests a community in motion, where intense light and warmth seem to permeate every form.
The second work offers a more serene counterpoint: a panoramic view of a bay, possibly at sunset. Here, the composition opens towards the horizon, with a soft gradation of blues, pinks and grays that build an enveloping atmosphere. The mountains in the background and the curved line of the coastline guide the eye delicately, while the brushstrokes, or wax strokes, become more diffuse, almost ethereal. The predominant sensation is one of stillness and contemplation, as if time were suspended in front of the landscape.