Two women conversing on the bow of a boat - one standing against the railing and one reclining …

Calme blanc

Artist Raoul du Gardier (French, 1871 - 1952)

Datec. 1900 - 1909

MediumOil on canvas

DimensionsCanvas: 55 3/4 × 77 7/8 inches (141.6 × 197.8 cm)
Framed: 55 3/4 × 77 7/8 × 1 1/8 inches (141.6 × 197.8 × 2.9 cm)

Credit LineMuseum purchase.

Object number1909.1

On View

On view

Copyright© Estate of Raoul du Gardier. The images and text contained on this page are owned by Telfair Museums or used by the Museum with permission from the owners. Unauthorized reproduction, transmission or display of these materials is prohibited with the exception of items deemed “fair use” as defined by U.S. and international copyright laws.Label TextBorn in Germany to French parents, Raoul du Gardier pursued his artistic studies in Paris. His early, more academic work often portrayed fantastic mythological and biblical scenes, but in the early twentieth century he turned his attention to contemporary life and produced lively images of socialites at play. Calme blanc demonstrates how du Gardier and many other academic artists adopted the contemporary subject matter, broken brushstrokes, and bright palette of the impressionists. Stranded in a calm sea, a party of elegantly dressed figures awaits the return of the wind. The large canvas is daringly composed; the perspective is from the deck of the boat and the view of the vessel itself is severely cropped. Shades of white dominate du Gardier’s palette, lending the work a crisp, airy feel. This “blonde” palette and the loose brush strokes owe their origins to impressionist practice. Yet du Gardier’s carefully rendered, stylishly dressed figures ensure this painting’s acceptability to the conservative Salon and middle-class patrons.

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