VOGLER Paul (1852–1904)

" The Poissy Bridge with Its Mills"

Oil on canvas,

Signed lower left,

Old numbers and label on the back of the stretcher,

Old exhibition label (number barely legible) lower right on the frame,

A beautiful work by the French Impressionist painter Paul Vogler depicting the Poissy Bridge with its mills.

The foreground is dominated by the river’s water, with white reflections that appear to be in motion. The banks are enlivened by trees with bare branches and russet hues, evoking an autumnal or wintry atmosphere at the time the painter captured the scene.The middle ground is centered around the stone bridge and its water mills, which sit directly on the bridge’s piers.

The sky is lightly veiled by clouds that diffuse a soft light and create a harmonious whole throughout the composition.

This work is a beautiful tribute to the town of Poissy.

The old bridge of Poissy, a famous fortified structure in the Yvelines department built before the 13th century, spanned approximately 400 meters and originally had up to 37 arches, reduced to 19 by the early 20th century. This historic bridge, which featured a drawbridge and a toll system in the 17th century, owed its great fame to the four successive mills located along the river: the Moulin Miquevert, the Moulin Guillemin, the Duvivier Mill, and the Doudan Mill. The history of this unique architectural complex unfortunately came to an end during World War II, when Allied bombing on May 26, 1944, permanently destroyed the structure, making way later, in 1952, for a modern bridge built slightly further upstream.

A self-taught French Impressionist painter who forged his own path outside traditional academic circles. Initially a painter and decorator, he found his true artistic calling through a fateful encounter with Alfred Sisley, who became his spiritual mentor. Captivated by Sisley’s plein air work, Vogler developed a vigorous and spontaneous style, specializing in depicting changing landscapes, with a particular fondness for winter scenes, snowy effects, and the reflections on the water along the banks of the Seine and the Oise.

Although often described as a “minor master” of Impressionism, he was fully integrated into the artistic avant-garde of his time. In particular, he encouraged the art dealer Le Barc de Boutteville to open his doors to young contemporary painters, collaborated with the theater world by designing the sets for the play Pelléas et Mélisande, and enjoyed the support of major figures in the art market, such as the famous gallery owner Ambroise Vollard. At his exhibitions at Vollard’s gallery, his work was displayed alongside that of major figures such as Pierre Bonnard, Édouard Vuillard, and Paul Signac.

Although a private person, Paul Vogler was well connected. Among his close friends was the art critic Albert Aurier, who was one of the first advocates of Van Gogh and Gauguin.Despite this recognition in artistic circles and the support of art critic Albert Aurier, he died in poverty

.The similarity of his painting style to that of his master has sometimes played tricks on art history: one of his paintings, held at the Kunsthalle in Bremen, long bore a forged signature by Sisley—added by a third-party speculator—before a restoration in 2016 finally restored Paul Vogler’s rightful authorship of the work.

Note: A very small, older restoration located on the edge of the canvas, which has no impact on the work, should be noted.

Dimensions: 60.5 x 73.5 cm unframed and 85 x 98 cm with its imposing and heavy original frame made of wood and gilded stucco. (Minor, inconsequential restorations to the frame should be noted.)

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