Le Pont Neuf

20th-century oil on carton signed C. Hartier in the lower right, for Pierre Chartier (1894-1980).

A captivating post-Impressionist oil on carton capturing the essence of Paris’s 1st arrondissement. In the foreground, elegantly dressed figures stroll along the quays, their movement rendered with fluid, expressive brushstrokes. Beyond them, Haussmannian façades glow under a softly veiled sky, while the timeless silhouette of the Pont Neuf—Paris’s oldest bridge—anchors the composition with its emblematic arches.

Chartier’s confident, quick-handed technique infuses the scene with energy, evoking the fleeting beauty of a moment in time. The piece is further elevated by its ornate gilded stuccoed wood frame, adorned with delicate acanthus leaves and pearls, enhancing its classical charm.

About Pierre Chartier (1894-1980)

Pierre Chartier was a French painter, born on December 5, 1894, in Épernay, north of Paris. From a young age, he developed a passion for painting and drawing, creating numerous caricatures of his teachers.

After finishing school, he moved to Paris, where he attended the École des Beaux-Arts and met artists such as André Lhote, Picasso, Moïse Kisling, and Autral.

A prolific and primarily figurative painter, he remained influenced by Impressionism and Fauvism. His work, characterized by the use of vibrant colors and depictions of everyday life, gained particular recognition between the two world wars.

He notably exhibited at the Salon des Indépendants in 1929 and 1937 alongside artists like Édouard Vuillard. In the 1930s, he began monogramming his works as "P.C. Hartier."

In 1940, fleeing the war, he settled in Chambon-sur-Voueize, in the Creuse region, where he devoted himself entirely to his art until the end of his life. At the same time, he worked part-time as a teacher at the École des Beaux-Arts in Reims.

Pierre Chartier passed away on July 8, 1980, at the age of 85. Beyond the paintings, Pierre Chartier was known for his cheerful, playful, and tender nature. A romantic, he was also passionate about motorcycles and cats, as evidenced by this watercolor self-portrait painted in 1950's.