Oil on Canvas
Signed and Dated 1958
Size (inches) : 17 (h) x 46 (w)
Size (cm) : 43.2 (h) x 116.8 (w)
Frame Size (inches) : 25.5 (h) x 54.5 (w)
Frame Size (cm) : 64.77 (h) x 138.43 (w)
View on background colour: Dark Graphite
string(6) "string"
string(1723) "
Circa 1958
Provenance: Purchased from the artist 1958. Private Collection, Paris
In over 30 years of dealing in Venards work we have only ever seen one other Dorade of this size, like hens teeth to any collector!
Claude Venard’s La Dorade is a striking and highly stylised interpretation of marine life, transforming the image of a fish into a dramatic exercise in line, texture, and abstraction. Stretching across the horizontal canvas, the monumental form of the sea bream emerges through sweeping curves, angular divisions, and finely incised linear details, creating a composition that feels both dynamic and architectural.
Rendered in a restrained palette of deep charcoal, slate grey, ivory, and muted ochre, the painting possesses a powerful graphic quality. The fish’s large circular eye acts as a commanding focal point, while the rhythmic network of intersecting lines suggests both skeletal structure and the movement of water. Venard’s heavily textured impasto surface adds depth and material richness, reinforcing the physical presence of the composition and revealing the artist’s fascination with surface and form.
Rather than pursuing naturalistic representation, Venard distils the subject into an expressive arrangement of shapes and gestures, balancing precision with spontaneity. In La Dorade, the traditional still life motif is reimagined through the bold visual language of post-war modernism, resulting in a work that is simultaneously elegant, energetic, and intensely contemporary. The painting stands as a compelling example of Venard’s ability to elevate everyday subjects into sophisticated abstract compositions.
"
Circa 1958
Provenance: Purchased from the artist 1958. Private Collection, Paris
In over 30 years of dealing in Venards work we have only ever seen one other Dorade of this size, like hens teeth to any collector!
Claude Venard’s La Dorade is a striking and highly stylised interpretation of marine life, transforming the image of a fish into a dramatic exercise in line, texture, and abstraction. Stretching across the horizontal canvas, the monumental form of the sea bream emerges through sweeping curves, angular divisions, and finely incised linear details, creating a composition that feels both dynamic and architectural.
Rendered in a restrained palette of deep charcoal, slate grey, ivory, and muted ochre, the painting possesses a powerful graphic quality. The fish’s large circular eye acts as a commanding focal point, while the rhythmic network of intersecting lines suggests both skeletal structure and the movement of water. Venard’s heavily textured impasto surface adds depth and material richness, reinforcing the physical presence of the composition and revealing the artist’s fascination with surface and form.
Rather than pursuing naturalistic representation, Venard distils the subject into an expressive arrangement of shapes and gestures, balancing precision with spontaneity. In La Dorade, the traditional still life motif is reimagined through the bold visual language of post-war modernism, resulting in a work that is simultaneously elegant, energetic, and intensely contemporary. The painting stands as a compelling example of Venard’s ability to elevate everyday subjects into sophisticated abstract compositions.
