Georges LAPORTE (1926-2000) - Lot 158

Georges LAPORTE (1926-2000) Houses and boat in Brittany Oil on canvas Signed lower right Titled and numbered 140 on reverse 89 x 116 cm NOTICE Georges Laporte (1926-2000) was a French painter renowned for his expressive landscapes and vibrant seascapes. Born in Paris, Laporte was influenced from an early age by a love of nature and the sea, themes that permeate much of his work. He is best known for his depictions of Brittany, a region to which he was particularly attached, as well as for his Mediterranean landscapes. Laporte's style is often described as expressionist, with a bold use of color and texture. He frequently worked with knives, creating rich, dynamic surfaces that bring his landscapes to life. His canvases, characterized by a strong materiality, capture the raw energy of nature, be it rough seas, steep cliffs or windswept fields. His approach is both poetic and intuitive, echoing artists such as Nicolas de Staël and Maurice de Vlaminck, with whom he shares a taste for simplified forms and a colorful palette. Laporte also explored urban themes, painting views of ports, markets and coastal villages with a sensitivity to the light and atmosphere specific to each place. Although Brittany is one of his favorite subjects, he has also traveled extensively, notably in Provence and Spain, and these southern landscapes are reflected in his work with a particular luminosity. Throughout his career, Georges Laporte has exhibited in France and abroad, notably in Germany, Switzerland and Japan, where he has acquired a solid reputation. He also won several awards, including the Prix de la Critique in 1961. Today, his works can be found in numerous public and private collections, and he is considered one of the great landscape painters of the second half of the 20th century. Georges Laporte's art, rooted in the power of the natural elements, continues to evoke an intimate and respectful relationship with nature, offering landscapes that, while timeless, capture the essence of the places he loved so much.