Intérieur

20th-century oil painting on wood signed Robert Simon (1889-1961) in the lower right.

A unique interior scene depicting a bright red chair and a table overloaded with objects in the foreground. Behind it, an armchair is draped with a lush green fabric. In the background, a jade green vase with its yellow flowers stand out next to a guitar hanging on the wall. 

Simon’s expressive brushwork and thick, impasto strokes bring the space to life, blurring the line between the inanimate and organic. The palette, reminiscent of Fauvism, amplifies the intensity of color, transforming everyday objects into something almost wild—more flora and fauna than still life. There’s an unexpected rhythm to this interior, as if the artist has captured a room in motion, pulsing with its own energy.

The piece is complemented by an aged, dark-gilded frame, enhancing the bohemian spirit of this richly layered composition.

About Robert Simon (1889-1961)

Robert Simon was a post-Impressionism Parisian artist through and through, regularly exhibiting at the Salon d'Automne and the Salon des Artistes Français. His studio, on Rue Alfred Stevens in the 9th arrondissement, placed him right in the heart of Pigalle’s golden age, a lively hub where artists, writers, and critics mingled.

His Impressionist style, with its vibrant brushstrokes and bold use of color, brought to life the atmosphere of Parisian interiors and French landscapes. Favoring small formats, he aimed to capture maximum emotion in minimal space, painting still lifes, intimate interiors, and animated city scenes with a keen sense of light and composition.

He was close to artists like Jean Pougny, Charles Kvapil, and André Lhote, and counted Claude Roger-Marx, the renowned art critic and historian, among his friends. After Simon’s passing, Roger-Marx paid tribute to him in Le Figaro with an article titled: "The painter Robert Simon passed away, brush in hand."

• Overall Size: 15.7" x 13.7" / 40.5cm x 35cm.
• Size without frame: 10.6" x 8.6" / 27.5cm x 22cm.
• Country of origin: France.
• Signature: Robert Simon (1889-1961).
• Creation date: Mid-20th century. 
• Condition: The work has a small loss at the upper central end but remains protected by its varnish. The frame has several impacts. 
• Materials: Oil painting on a wood panel with an antique wooden frame.
• Shipping: Complimentary shipping to the US and Europe. A surcharge will be applied for deliveries to Australia, New Zealand, and Asia.