1985 - Lavandes sur le plateau de Valensole 54 x 65 cm (21 x 26 in.)
Lavender on the Valensole Plateau E 176 15 F
What
other color in nature, besides red, could drive a painter to look madly all over the countryside? Blue, of course! And these splendid lavender fields on the Valensole Plateau in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence were among the most
picturesque for a painter. But one had to have MAX-AGOSTINI's vocation for his Art to put up with the August heat, the honeybees, and sometimes a Mistral wind on these high plains that would blow his canvas away. I am a witness to
all these unpleasant circumstances, for gathering flowers for the needs of a painting was equal to a personal sacrifice, so loud were the buzzing of these insects and the oppressively hot atmosphere, that the only
"artistic" desire I had was to flee immediately. Luckily, Max "seized" my pose quickly, though he himself would sit stoically for hours in front of his easel to capture the effects of the "lavender
blue" of these strongly perfumed flowers, and also, that of the sky! Quelle autre couleur dans la nature, apr�s le rouge, pourrait d�cha�ner les recherches d'un peintre? Le bleu, bien entendu! Et ces
splendides champs de lavande du plateau de Valensole, dans les Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, �taient parmi les plus pittoresques pour un peintre. Mais il fallait la vocation de MAX-AGOSTINI pour son art pour supporter la chaleur du
mois d'ao�t, les abeilles, et quelquefois un mistral, sur ces plaines en altitude, qui faisait envoler sa toile. Je peux t�moigner de tous ces d�sagr�ments, car faire la cueillette de ces fleurs pour les besoins d'un tableau
relevait d'un sacrifice personnel, tellement le vrombissement de ces insectes et la chaleur �crasante m'inspiraient qu'un seul d�sir "artistique," celui de la fuite imm�diate. Heureusement, Max "croquait" ma
pose rapidement, bien qu'il rest�t lui, sto�que devant son chevalet pendant des heures, pour capturer les effets de bleu "lavande" de ces fleurs si parfum�es, mais aussi celui du ciel!