Louis Floutier, View Of Ainhoa, 20th Century

A small, elongated painting depicts typical Basque houses in front of which a shepherd is leading his flock of sheep. The scene takes place in Ainhoa, a village near Bayonne. The work is set in a frame carved with geometric motifs.

Signed “L Floutier” in the lower left corner.
An inscription is visible on the back: “Ainhoa (sic) / L Floutier painter / St Jean de Luz”.

Louis Floutier (1882-1936) was a French painter trained at the École des Beaux-Arts in Toulouse and then in Paris. Following his service as a camouflage expert during the First World War, he moved to the Basque Country in 1919, where he founded the Ciboure art pottery workshop with the potter Edgard Marcel Lucat, known as Lukas (1883-1953), and the cabinetmaker Etienne Villotte (1881-1957), whom he had met during the war. Together, they created pieces blending Greek influences, Art Deco aesthetics, and regional inspirations. From 1922, Floutier established his own studio at La Pergola in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, where he began painting landscapes and scenes of daily life typical of the Basque Country, which brought him considerable renown. His works are now part of numerous public and private collections.

There are some losses in the paint layer and a crack at the bottom of the panel.
Minor wear to the frame.
Good overall condition.
Early 20th century.

Dimensions:
Framed: 24.5 x 53 cm;
Image size: 20 x 49 cm