Maximilien LUCE (Paris, 1885-1941)

This French painter studied engraving and painting successively and was drawn to the entourage of Camille Pissaro, Cross, Van Rijsselberghe and Signac who were attempting to create form through separated tones (pointillism).

Luce was first to be attracted to nature and landscape. But he was soon to leave this first stage of work behind him when he discovered in the work of Constantin Meunier a domain that particularly appealed to the militant anarchist him that belonged to the working class.

The presence of his works in the collections of The Museum of Fine Arts is the result of his different journeys in this region, sometimes accompanied by Van Rijsselberghe and Meunier. The use of this pointillism technique allowed the painter to express the vivid nature of the region powerfully, to explore the shapes and lights of the industrial landscape.
In total contrast with the impressionists, these artists applied geometry to their brush strokes, rationalised the shapes thus dissipating the mist of the impressionists to the advantage of a solid structure.