François Frenay - Boats In The Port – Gouache - Signed

François FRENAY (1894-1992)
Boats in the Harbor
Gouache on brown paper
Signed lower left
32 cm x 24 cm

This luminous gouache by François Frenay sensitively captures the peaceful atmosphere of a harbor. The artist depicts four fishing boats with white and blue hulls, moored along a quay whose light stone edge is visible in the foreground.

The composition reveals Frenay's talent for capturing the effects of light on the water: the reflections of the boats are outlined in dark ripples on the surface of the basin, rendered in a subtle range of blues – from periwinkle to gray-blue. The choice of brown paper as a support lends the whole a warm tone that harmonizes beautifully with the cast shadows and the ochre-beige touches of the boats' interiors.

The brushwork is lively and concise, characteristic of Frenay's style. The artist constructs volumes with broad areas of color, without concern for superfluous detail, favoring the essence of form and light. The figures sketched aboard the boats, rendered as simple, light silhouettes wearing hats, discreetly enliven the scene.

The work is in very good condition. It is signed in the lower left corner. It is displayed in a modern frame, also in good condition.

A native of Vienne (Isère), where he was born and died, François Frenay devoted his career to painting coastal landscapes, both Breton and Mediterranean. His works are notably included in the collections of the Museum of Fine Arts of Lyon.

The work can be viewed at the gallery (07240).
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