André BARBIER (1883-1970). The sandpits. Oil on canvas signed lower right. Height : 50 cm - Width : 61 cm A musician and photographer, he quickly turned to painting, moving to Paris at the age of 20. Art critic Gustave Geoffroy introduced him to Claude Monet in 1906. He spent a great deal of time in Monet's studio, developing his technique, which was strongly influenced by the Impressionists, although his brushwork was a little more structured. His friendship with Claude Monet enabled him to participate in the Salon d'Automne from 1909 to 1938 and the Salon des Tuileries from 1924 to 1931. Some of his works are in the collections of the Musée d'Orsay. This group of works presented for sale testifies to the painter's interest in landscapes, mainly of Normandy and the banks of the Seine, in the tradition of the Impressionists who played on the effects of light.