Franck INNOCENT (1912-1983). Bouquet of white flowers and apples, 1943. Watercolor over pencil lines, signed and dated lower right. Sight: Height : 36 cm - Width : 45 cm Note: a resolutely figurative artist, he trained with Marcel Couchaux, himself a pupil of Delattre, who was a friend of Monet and Pissaro and leader of the Rouen School, whose influence is felt in his taste for sensitive color, his passion for nature and rustic scenes. A native of Normandy, he often depicted the landscapes of his region, particularly those around Les Andelys, where he regularly lived and worked. In 1936, he held his first exhibition in Rouen at the Legrip gallery, and in 1953, in Honfleur, he met André Warnod, an influential critic for Le Figaro, and went on to exhibit successfully in Paris. He turned away from color after 1945, his expression becoming dark and powerful, reflecting a deep inner suffering. It was in the early 1960s that his joie de vivre returned, and his tones became colorful and luminous once again. They remained with him until his death.