Eugène Brouillard (1870 - 1950), Chestnut Tree At Chalamont

Oil on cardboard. Signed lower left. 80 x 60 cm.

A self-taught painter from Lyon, Eugène Brouillard remains a distinctive figure of regional modernity. Disabled from childhood, he pursued an artistic career alongside his profession as a textile designer, drawing inspiration from the works of Corot, Ravier, and the Nabis. A friend of Francisque Pomat and Bruno Guillermin, he was also close to the writer Pierre Aguétant, for whom he illustrated several poems.

From 1904 onward, Brouillard regularly exhibited at the Salon d’Automne in Lyon. He developed a highly personal style: broad, methodical brushstrokes delineate planes and volumes, imbuing his landscapes with a luminous vibration reminiscent of pointillism. Several of his canvases are now held in the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Lyon.

In this Chestnut Tree at Chalamont, the artist exalts the monumentality of a solitary tree, its dark branches sharply silhouetted against a bright sky. The warm palette and bold contrasts magnify the strength of the motif, which becomes the true protagonist of the composition. With this vision, both narrative and modern, Brouillard pays tribute to the timeless beauty of the Ain countryside.