Auguste Leroux

AUGUSTE LEROUX (1871-1954).
"Young tennis player".
Oil on canvas.
Signed in the lower right corner.
Measurements: 177 x 100 cm / 185 x 106 cm.

Imposing oil on canvas of great format that represents a young tennis player standing, in serene attitude, with the racket resting on the ground and the left hand resting on the hip. The figure, with a fair complexion and copper hair, is dressed in period sports attire, a long-sleeved white suit with a sailor collar, leather belt, high socks and sneakers, with an elegance that transcends the mere sports portrait and enters the field of character portraiture.

In the landscape background stands a cliffy coastline bathed by a cold light with the sea on the horizon, framing the figure with an evocative atmosphere. The palette, dominated by whites, blues and earthy ochers, gives the whole chromatic harmony.

Auguste Leroux, an illustrator and painter trained at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, is renowned for his mastery of drawing and his ability to combine compositional classicism with modern sensibility. His portraits stand out for the psychological depth of the models.