La Cour de la Gourdine 1890

"La Cour de la Gourdine," painted by Léo Gausson, is made with oil on canvas. It is, on the face of it, a straightforward rendering. But notice the artist's unusual material handling. Rather than blending the pigments smoothly, Gausson deploys visible brushstrokes. The surface is activated, almost as if he’s emulating the textures of masonry and foliage. The scene shows an unpretentious building, likely built by local hands with local materials. The artist draws our attention to that fact, reminding us of the labor involved in creating this built environment. Gausson, although exhibiting with the Impressionists, was deeply interested in craft and design. This interest manifests in the materiality of his work, blurring the boundaries between fine art and everyday life. He is not just representing this building, but also appreciating the values it embodies.