GERMAINE VERNA

(French-Italian, 1900-1975)

PROMENADE A MURALTO, LAC MAJEUR, 1954

Oil on Board

20 x 34 Inches

Signed Lower Right and Dated ‘54’

Provenance: Marlborough Fine Art, London

Germaine Verna first studied in Paris with Othon Friez and Andre Lhote. She became closely associated with the group of artists known as ‘les Montparnois’ and particularly with Soutine, Kisling and de Chirico. Exhibiting with success in Paris at the Salon d’Automne and with the Groupe des Independants, she was also featured in successful solo exhibitions at London’s Marlborough Gallery, New York’s Gerson Gallery and in Philadelphia at the Coleman Gallery.  In 1939, she moved to Switzerland with her husband, the art critic, Francois Verna. She spent the remainder of her life in the picturesque town of Ascona on Lake Maggiore. There, until her death in 1975, she painted only two subjects, the lyrical environs of her adopted home town and sensitive portraits of her friends and acquaintances. Germaine Verna exhibited with success throughout the world including at the Musee Nationale d’Art Moderne, Paris; Milwaukee Art Museum; The New York Fine Art Association; and at both the Salon d’Automne and the Salon des Independents.  She also exhibited at London’s Malborough Fine Art Gallery from which this painting was originally purchased. Verna’s work may be found in national and regional museums worldwide including the Musee National d’Art Moderne in Paris.  We are pleased to offer a vibrant and dramatically composed view of Lake Marggiore dating to the artist’s middle period.

Reference:

Verna by Maximillien Grauthier, publ. Les Gerneaux, Paris 1953; Maximillien Grauthier Les Nouvelles Litteraires, Paris, 26 June 1962;Robert Metadier, Carrefour, Paris, 18 June 1952; Jean Bouret, Arts, Paris,  June 1952; Pierre Descargues, Les Lettres Francaises, Paris July 1952.