Journeys inspiring variations on the theme of landscape

Denise Ferrier's landscapes often recall her journeys in the south of France, to Chanac in 1951 and to Collioure in 1973, for example.

The views she depicted of these places, particularly the sketch of Collioure, bring to mind André Lhote's approach in their construction through simple geometric volumes.

The window open onto the outside is a model that was much used by artists such as Matisse and Bonnard. With Denise Ferrier, the view of Collioure is a celebration of colour. Orchestrating a dialogue between complementary tones, it exudes a soothing chromatic harmony.

With their timeless and stylised traits, the faces are of little importance and seem to be borrowed from the world of illustrations, posters and comics.

The search for the most fitting expression of the shapes emerging from the landscape observed is an essential characteristic of her approach.

In the seascapes of Perros-Guirec, the distinct outlines of the rockes, resembling moving silhouettes, bring the composition to life.

Elements of the landscape occasionally form a network of correlations : Sur la route entre Madrid et Grenade [On the road between Madrid and Grenada], a souvenir of her stay in 1988, features cultivated fields represented by large triangular blocks of colour, which echo the neighbouring hills, depicted as other triangular forms pointing to the sky.