From 1902, Le Sidaner began to spend much of the summer with his family in the village of Petit-Fort-Philippe in Gravelines, France where he painted ‘Les Huttes’. The village was close to the home of his childhood friend and fellow artist Eugène Chigot, and his attachment to the village radiates from this painting.

Capturing atmosphere through light became a trademark for Le Sidaner’s work. By 1908 Le Sidaner was moving away from his early symbolist work and adopting a diversionist technique. Here, the short dynamic brushstrokes of the fiery reds and oranges are a wonderful example of his employment of the style. As displayed in ‘Les Huttes’, Le Sidaner’s work is celebrated for its within between nature and the man-made. Although his work is usually devoid of depicting people themselves, their presence is usually felt, as seen here in the glowing windows of the huts.

This painting was first with Le Sidaner’s dealer, the leading Impressionist gallerist Georges Petit who also showed the work of Monet, Renoir, Pissarro and Sisley. However, Le Sidaner later took it back from Petit as he wished to have it as part of his 1931 solo exhibition at Galerie de Artistes Français in Brussels. ‘Les Huttes’ later entered the collection of businessman Oscar Ghez, a great patron of the arts and founder of the Petit Palais in Geneva.