The Church at Villiers (L'Eglise de Villiers)
Medium
etching
Classification
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Frank Crowninshield Collection
Accession Number
1948.3.12
Art Historical Context
André Dunoyer de Segonz's *The Church at VilliersL'Eglise de Vill)*, an etching from 1923, captures the serene charm of rural French life during the interwar years. Segonzac, a prominent French artist of the École de Paris was renowned for his realist depictions of the countryside, blending the loose brushwork of Impressionism with a more structured, modern clarity. This print showcases his skill in portraying everyday architecture—like the modest village church in Villiers—infused with light and atmosphere that evoke a sense of timeless tranquility. As an etching, the work highlights the med...
About the Artist
André Dunoyer de Segonzac
André Dunoyer de Segonzac (1884–1974) was a leading French painter, draughtsman, engraver, and illustrator, born on 6 July in Boussy-Saint-Antoine near Paris, where he spent much of his childhood alongside time in the city. Defying his parents' initial hopes for a military career at Saint-Cyr, he pursued art, enrolling in 1900 at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris as a general student. He studied u...