ギャルリー亜出果
Raymond Peynet A Smile on the Lips Original Sketch
Raymond Peynet A Smile on the Lips Original Sketch
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32x25cm ink drawing, signed by the artist
This is an extremely delicate drawing that perfectly captures Raymond Peynet's characteristic poetic flair and humor. It is lightly composed with fine lines, with figures, sky, Cupid, a bandstand, trees, and small chairs gently arranged, making good use of the empty space. The dimensions of 32×25cm also feel appropriate for "an original drawing to be intimately enjoyed in one's hands," rather than a large-format print.
The core of this painting is, as expected, the world of Peynet's signature "lovers." The woman on the left gazes quietly at her companion, while the man on the right has a flower pinned to his chest and offers a heart in his hand. Cupid, flying between them, visualizes the stirring of love, and the bandstand in the background supports the romantic atmosphere like a stage prop. Peynet is known for creating the motif of "Les Amoureux" (The Lovers) in 1942 and developed this poetic expression of love across various media. This work is also very close in content to his representative theme.
What is particularly interesting is the male figure on the right. The combination of a top hat, a small bird, a flower on his chest, and a heart in his hand symbolizes the "gentleness," "devotion," and "slightly theatrical expression of affection" unique to Peynet's works. The gesture of holding a heart in his hand seems to visualize a common French idiom for expressing love, allowing it to be read not merely as a romantic painting but as an allegory of "a person offering love." It has sweetness without being cloying, and a touch of humor that is typical of Peynet.
The composition also displays Peynet's characteristic traits. The lines are very light, without solid areas of color, creating a sense of atmosphere with the bare minimum of depiction. The clouds and sun in the background, the sparsely placed chairs, and the distant trees are placed not as a realistic park but as "a stage for love." At the Peynet Museum in Antibes, Peynet's world is presented as a "poetic universe" through lithographs, etchings, gouaches, and ink drawings, and the light ink lines of this work are easily understood in that context.
At the bottom of the image, there is a handwritten French text, which, as a whole, seems to poetically describe signs of love such as "a smile, a flower on the chest, a heart in the hand." In other words, this work is not just a character sketch, but is best appreciated as an "illustration for a love poem," where image and text are integrated. Peynet was an artist who worked in various fields such as newspapers, illustrations, posters, and prints, so this format, where literary captions and images resonate, is very natural.
If one were to view this work from a collector's perspective, its appeal lies not in the "refinement of a completed work," but in the "intimacy where the artist's hand movements remain as they are." The slightly wavering lines, the generous empty space, and the exclusion of color, paradoxically bring forth Peynet's essence as a "poet of love." Unlike mass-produced prints and goods, original drawings possess this sense of raw breath. However, authenticity and market value cannot be determined solely from images, so it is important to consider the signature, date, provenance, inscriptions on the reverse, and the quality of the paper when removed from its frame.
In essence, this work is an excellent example of Raymond Peynet's core "poetic sentiment of lovers," expressed with remarkably light lines. It is quieter than his vibrantly colored works, but precisely because of that, his essence of gentleness, wit, and post-war French sense of happiness is conveyed more directly. The placement of the bandstand in the background also evokes the story of the birth of Peynet's "lovers," which is a very appealing point for fans.
The French caption at the bottom reads:
Le sourire aux lèvres, la fleur à la boutonnière et le coeur sur la main
Moi à votre place je n'hésiterais pas..
A smile on your lips, a flower in your buttonhole, and your heart in your hand, if I were in your place, I wouldn't hesitate... It's a bit hard to understand, so to translate it more simply:
In other words, with a smile, a flower on your chest, and your heart in your hand, now is the time to propose! If I were you, I would accept love without hesitation.
Annie Peynet, daughter of Raymond Peynet, pointing at Raymond Peynet's original lithographs depicting the four seasons inside the Musée Peynet in Antibes, France ↓
[Artwork Description]
A woman has opened a bird market in the forest, and a man visits it. Birds of various colors—red, yellow, blue, and white—are being sold. Since the display counter is small, the woman of the forest is also showing birds on a very attractive perch extending from her chest. The woman is calling out, "Do you see any birds you like? I have owls and doves too!" but he seems captivated by the perch on her chest, his gaze not moving from it. The man asks, "I'd like those two small yellow birds. Can you sell me the perch too?" What will the woman's answer be? The orange sun and the striking red of the woman's suit are impressive in the space that opens up in the middle of the moss-green branches of a pair of trees. The colors of the birds and flowers—red, yellow, pink—flutter about, giving a rhythmic sense of joy. The bright sky spreading behind the woman brightens the entire painting.
Yasuhiro Takeda, Galerie Adekat
Galerie Adekat purchased 5,000 copies around 1992 from Alexandre Tocart, the nephew of Mr. Murret, Peynet's publisher (who collaborated with Raymond Peynet to produce Raymond Peynet's prints, which Raymond Peynet then personally signed), and the representative of the French distributor of those prints (Édition des Cercles).
Karuizawa Peynet Museum Brochure↓
Galerie Adekat operated "Gallery Vandfrance" at the Karuizawa Prince Hotel for 20 years, from 1995 to 2015. Due to this, they maintained friendly relations with the Peynet Museum in Karuizawa and were dispatched by the Karuizawa Peynet Museum to foster exchanges between the Karuizawa Peynet Museum and the Raymond Peynet and Humorous Artists Museum in Antibes, Southern France, continuing interactions with the Antibes Peynet Museum and Raymond Peynet's daughter, Annie Peynet.
Statue of Lovers by Raymond Peynet in front of the Karuizawa Peynet Museum↓32
Raymond Peynet's artistic world depicts a paradise where small animals and plants joyfully coexist, centered around the love of lovers. In the 21st century, with environmental destruction and ongoing wars, Raymond Peynet's paintings of love and peace are considered a message for our time. We hope that by encountering Peynet's world, surrounded by peace, love, and gentle nature, people will cultivate peace in their hearts, love for the Earth, and a sense of care for nature, animals, and plants, our fellow inhabitants.
[Raymond Peynet Museum Links]
Antibes Peynet Museum Interview
Sakuto Museum (Peynet Museum + Valentine Park + Valentine Hotel)
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park Peynet Love and Peace Monument
