Route à la Cadière 1957

André Lhote made this painting with oils, probably in his studio, and maybe in a single sitting. I imagine him starting with a yellow ground and then applying the other hues and tones on top, adjusting as he went along. The colors are striking, a playful orchestration of greens, blues, oranges, and yellows. Look how the lines of the branches cut through the scene. It makes me think of analytical cubism in a certain way. But it's also so lovely, decorative even. You could even say that it's Fauvist with its simplified forms and bold colors. The brushwork is loose and energetic, a bit gestural, capturing the feeling of a fleeting moment in nature. See how he lays down each stroke, trusting his intuition. It is as if he has been transported by the beauty of the countryside. A kind of creative conversation happening right there on the canvas.