Au jardin, 2013

Thomas Groslier  

In the garden
Pencil on paper, 2013

One might think it's a peaceful scene. A young woman standing among the plants. A garden like so many others. And yet, no.

She holds her flower like a secret. She looks at no one. She listens. Perhaps to the wind, perhaps to her own thoughts. The trees are straight, almost austere. In the distance, two figures walk away. The moon has already risen.

Everything is simple: a line, a shadow, some foliage. No effects. No artifice. The pencil goes straight to the heart of the matter. It's a drawing that doesn't try to seduce — and that's why it resonates.

Here we find that feminine figure so dear to the artist: silent, introspective, both present and distant. A scene that seems familiar yet remains mysterious.

This drawing dates from 2013, a pivotal period in Thomas Groslier's exploration of symbolic landscapes and the female figure. It already reveals what would become the hallmark of his work: an apparent gentleness tinged with a subtle unease.