I went to an opening of the paintings of Hubert De Lartigue in midtown this evening and liked his paintings more than I thought I would; also I briefly spoke with de Lartigue, who flew in from Paris to be at his own New York opening.

Hubert de Lartigue “Petite Marie” 2006 acrylic on canvas 15.75 x 15.75

It would be too easy to dismiss Hubert de Lartigue as another Playboy or Penthouse type Pinup Artist if it were not for the sincere love of female flesh and from that comes through his canvasses.  That de Lartigue’s paintings are erotic and sensual is obvious – but there’s nothing wrong with that – in fact, I quite like them, slickness and all.  

The portrait of “Petite Marie” above, was superb, it was much like a photo, yet enhanced with the loving touches of a painter.   Plus, I found the composition Petite Marie one of the more successful of Hubert de Lartigue’s paintings in the show (they’re all of the same level – but I can have favorites and Petite Marie is mine).

When I got close up to all of de Lartigue’s paintings of woman, I noticed he painted them with liver spots, which actually, added to the sensuality of the paintings - he makes woman both erotic and natural – real, at the same time. 

I don’t doubt that many of the woman who are his models beg for that honor – what woman would not want to be painted by de Lartigue?

 Hubert de Lartigue “Collines” 2004 acrylic on canvas 35 x 51ue70

The painting “Collines” was full of sensuality – slickness and appeal.  Yes,  I find these paintings “stimulating” to look at, who  wouldn’t? 

But while I wanted to dismiss them because they looked so much like photos at first, I found that de Lartigue’s paintings are more than skin deep and that, I came away feeling these works have taken the photography, where they began, and fused it with feeling and painting.   Not only that, but the color tones were well felt out (well Fleshed Out, I suppose you could say).

Hubert de Lartigue “Facettes” 2005 acrylic on canvas23.5 x 47.25

“Facettes: reminds me of the Velasquez’s painting of Rokeby Venus which is the artists’ only surviving female nude painting.   “Facettes” is much more physical and direct than Rokeby Venus, perhaps more studied, but I like that de Lartigue looks at the old masters, that he builds on them and that his feelings are sincere love of the female body – which is art.

Often, life is such that it is tempting to put everything in boxes, to label it, just to make the complexity of the world easier to deal with.  In that light, it would have been way too easy for me to dismiss these paintings while envying their skill, attractiveness and subjects.  

But I decided not to do that, accepting the paintings at the level they present to me.