Adolphe Appian - Rural Landscape With Thatched Cottage - Oil On Canvas - Signed

The composition presents a pastoral scene dominated by a humble cottage with a brownish-orange thatched roof, occupying the right side of the canvas. The rustic architecture blends harmoniously into its natural surroundings, emphasized by the presence of a majestic tree whose dark silhouette stands out against a turbulent sky. To the left, the landscape opens onto a rolling vista where other buildings can be seen nestled in the distance.

The foreground celebrates wild flora with a meadow dotted with splashes of color: yellow and blue flowers punctuate the dense green of the grass, bringing light and life to the scene. This attention to minute botanical details testifies to the artist's keen observation.

The brushwork is particularly expressive. Appian employs a vigorous and sweeping brushstroke, especially evident in the treatment of the sky with its energetically painted gray and white clouds. The generous impasto creates a rich and tactile texture. The color palette favors muted, natural tones—silvery grays, deep greens, earthy browns—typical of the naturalist aesthetic of the second half of the 19th century.

This atmospheric study captures a fleeting moment, likely a stormy or windy day, demonstrating Appian's interest in meteorological and light variations. The intimate format and direct execution suggest that it may have been a study done outdoors, a practice dear to the artist, who was one of the pioneers of this approach in the Lyon region.

The work is signed in the lower left. It is in very good condition and has been relined in the past. It is placed in a patinated stuccoed wooden frame with a velvet band, also in very good condition.

The artist
Adolphe Appian, pseudonym of Jacques Barthélémy Appian, was born in 1818 in Lyon, where he died in 1898. He trained in painting at the School of Fine Arts in the same city. He worked for a time as a designer of patterns for silks before turning to a more artistic practice. He made his debut at the Paris Salon of 1835 and exhibited at the Lyon Salon of 1847, then regularly at the Salons of both cities from 1855 onwards. He won a gold medal at the Paris Salon in 1868.

In 1852, his meeting with Camille Corot and Jean-François Daubigny had a decisive impact on his career: it was then that he decided to devote himself exclusively to painting and engraving, and adopted the style of the Barbizon School. He made several trips to Fontainebleau, as well as to the Bugey region, the Mediterranean coast, and elsewhere.

He enjoyed success during his lifetime. Napoleon III even bought one of his paintings in 1867. Around the same time, he lightened his palette, which until then had consisted of cool and warm tones.
Adolphe Appian was also a remarkable engraver. He practiced etching with virtuosity, as evidenced by the engravings we are offering. Long before the Impressionists, he produced numerous monotypes.
He was named a Knight of the Legion of Honor in 1892.

Many French museums hold his works (museums in Lyon, Chambéry, Bourg-en-Bresse, Cannes, Montpellier, Cherbourg, Nice, etc.). Appian is also highly regarded in the United States. His works can be found particularly in San Francisco and Cleveland. Appian's works have been the subject of numerous auctions and continue to be very successful.

This work is on display at the gallery (07240).
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