Greek Dance in a Landscape 1937

Andre Bauchant made "Greek Dance in a Landscape" using oil on canvas, a conventional choice that’s somewhat at odds with his unconventional approach. Bauchant was a self-taught artist who, later in life, took up painting after serving in World War I. Though he had no formal training, he developed a unique style characterized by its flat, almost naive quality, and subjects from classical antiquity. This work is a great example, with its dreamlike vision of a classical scene, populated by figures with a sculptural quality and the landscape painted in simple, bright colors. What’s interesting about the context in which Bauchant was working is the contrast between the industrialized world emerging around him, and the timeless quality of the themes he explored. His focus on idyllic, classical themes can be seen as a conscious rejection of the modern world and its emphasis on mechanical production. It’s almost as if he’s trying to create a world untouched by the rapid changes of the 20th century.