Charming Rural Scene Signed l'Abbé Donis – Oil On Canvas, 19th Century

A very beautiful bucolic composition by a rare ecclesiastic-painter, Abbé Donis, whose name is also known for having written a letter of condolence to Victor Hugo after the drowning of his daughter Léopoldine. This scene, bathed in greenery and serenity, demonstrates great attention to detail and a deep sensitivity to the peasant world. It conveys a gentle, almost pastoral atmosphere, in the tradition of the naturalist masters. The work is perfectly preserved and presented in an elegant period gilt frame. Dimensions with frame: 61 x 48 cmDimensions without: 46 x 33 cm Signature: bottom right "Abbé Donis"A rare, touching work, with a discreet and profound charm. About Abbé Donis He is an ecclesiastical painter, little known to the general public, but whose name appears in French literary history: Abbé Donis is mentioned for having addressed a letter to Victor Hugo, after the drowning of his daughter Léopoldine Hugo in 1843 in Villequier. This letter of great religious compassion marked Hugo, who had been deeply upset by the tragedy. Some historians have suggested that Abbé Donis was active in Normandy, We know of a few rare signed canvases of his, often centered on rural life and the simple piety of the peasant world, in a spirit close to the Barbizon school. It is therefore a work of certain historical and artistic value, as much for the subject treated as for the rarity of the signature.