Signed “J.Cross” bottom left & dated "84". Provenance : Private collection Saint Dié (Vosges) & Bordeaux. He painted many landscapes on an 1883 trip to the Alpes-Maritimes, accompanied by his family. During this Mediterranean trip, Paul Signac became a close friend with some artistic influence. In 1884 Cross co-founded the Society of Independent Artists. There, he met and became friends with many artists involved in
the Neo-Impressionist movement, including Georges Seurat, Albert Dubois-Pillet, and Charles Angrand. Despite his association with the Neo-Impressionists, his work continues to be influenced by Jules Bastien-Lepage and Édouard Manet, as well as the Impressionists. His color palette became lighter, working in the brighter colors of Impressionism. He also worked outdoors. In the last part of the 1880s, Cross painted pure landscapes showing the influence of Claude Monet & Camille Pissarro.