Abel Villard Painting, Landscape Of Brittany, House In Douarnenez, Pont-aven, 1900, Oil On Canvas

Abel Villard (1871-1969) – Path and Hamlet near Douarnenez, oil on canvas, 81 x 65 cm, signed. This is a very "southern Finistère" landscape, naturally situated around Douarnenez: a light, winding dirt path leads to a small hamlet nestled in greenery. On the left, a house with a sloping roof emerges from an embankment and captures the light; further on, a second building can be glimpsed, half-hidden. On the right, a large, warm mass (embankment, haystack, or thick hedge) echoes the curtain of trees and a large overhanging tree that closes the composition. The whole scene evokes the West: light humidity, a veiled blue-grey sky, deep greens, earthy ochres, and warm browns. The painting's quality lies in its rapid and confident execution, the post-impressionist style: everything is captured spontaneously, without excess. Villard works with free and vibrant strokes, brushed obliquely and in layers, which make the foliage seem to move. The path is constructed through tonal values rather than drawing: shadows laid down in muted tones (browns, earthy purples), highlights drawn in warm beiges and grays, which immediately creates depth. In the trees, small touches of yellow/green catch the light like glimmers, and the texture remains vibrant, never smoothed over. It is an plein air painting: the subject is suggested, but the air and light are painted as much as the objects themselves. This type of view perfectly suits Villard's territory, known for painting en plein air in the area around Douarnenez: paths, embankments, edges of woods, hamlets, and the atmosphere of Cornouaille, with a natural palette and a sense of the moment. Large decorative format (81 x 65 cm). Oil on canvas (HST) on stretcher. Signed lower left: Abel Villard. Good condition. Note: minor restoration in the lower left corner (near the signature area). Signs of wear and minor surface marks are possible, consistent with age, and do not impede readability. Abel Villard (1871-1969), a Breton painter born in Ploaré and died in Quimper, is a renowned figure in the Finistère art scene. A drawing teacher, close to the circle of Louis-Marie Désiré-Lucas, he regularly painted en plein air around Douarnenez. He actively participated in Quimper's cultural life (Artistic Union, municipal courses, creation of the Quimper School of Fine Arts) and his works are included in public collections. (source: Wikipedia)