The Seine at Port-Villez

After studying at the Art Student's League in New York, Theodore Butler traveled to Paris in the 1880s where his artistic career would soon flourish. Conscious of the prevailing social, scientific and artistic milieu that consumed the avant-garde of the time, Butler was able to synthesize these influences into unique canvases that would later distinguish him as an important expatriate artist of his day. In The Seine at Port-Villez Butler's quick strokes of pigment fuse together in many layers to create a fury of color, heightening the movement in the scene. Butler's dynamic Impressionist style continues the artistic tradition set forth by the French Impressionists while demonstrating the artist's own sense of modernity. Painted in the northwest of France, The Seine at Port-Villez exhibits Butler's keen interest in pursuing these impressionist ideals. Although he did not receive critical acclaim until later in his career, Butler's works resonated within the Parisian artistic community and helped to distinguish him as a highly skilled and provocative painter.

This painting will be included in the forthcoming catalogue raisonné being compiled by Patrick Bertrand.