Landhuizen aan de voet van de bergen, hooggebergte in het verschiet, La Turbie - Jules Ferdinand Jacquemart

A 1875 watercolour by Jules Ferdinand Jacquemart depicting the villas and mountain scenery of La Turbie in the French Alps.

This watercolour by Jules Ferdinand Jacquemart depicts the commune of La Turbie, situated in the hills above the French Riviera. Executed in 1875, the work captures the architectural character of the region, focusing on the white-walled villas with terracotta roofs that define the local vernacular. The composition is structured in distinct planes: the foreground features the residential buildings, the mid-ground transitions into dense, dark foliage, and the background rises into the imposing, rugged peaks of the Maritime Alps.

Jacquemart, primarily known for his precise etchings of decorative arts and antiquities, demonstrates a different sensibility here. His application of watercolour is restrained, relying on thin washes to build the atmospheric perspective of the mountain range. The palette is muted, favouring earthy tones, soft greys, and pale blues to convey the hazy light of the Mediterranean climate. The artist avoids heavy outlines, allowing the forms of the houses and the contours of the mountains to emerge through the layering of pigment.

This piece offers a view of the area before the extensive development of the twentieth century. The inclusion of the hilltop structure, likely a remnant of the fortifications near the Trophée d'Auguste, provides a historical anchor to the scene. The work reflects a period when artists frequently travelled to the south of France to document the specific light and topography of the coast. By balancing the domestic scale of the villas with the vastness of the alpine backdrop, Jacquemart creates a sense of place that is both quiet and observant. The technical execution shows a mastery of the medium, particularly in the handling of the sky and the subtle gradations of the distant slopes.