Gustave Vidal - Provençal Seascape - Oil On Panel - Signed

Gustave VIDAL (1895 – 1966)
Provençal Seascape
Oil on panel
Signed lower right
110 × 60 cm

This major work by Gustave Vidal captures a scene of Mediterranean life in all its complexity with remarkable vitality. Generously sized (110 x 69 cm), this oil on panel, in excellent condition and signed lower right, testifies to the painter's mastery in rendering the coastal landscapes of southern France.

The composition reveals an exceptional narrative richness: in the foreground, fishermen's houses with red tiles and light-colored walls cling to a rugged, rocky coastline. Traditional fishing boats, moored or pulled ashore, enliven the scene with vibrant brushstrokes. Figures can be discerned going about their daily activities, lending a human and lively dimension to the whole. Deep blue water stretches to the horizon, where mountains emerge, perhaps evoking the Maritime Alps.

The composition is masterfully structured around two monumental pines that define the space. These trees, with their sinuous trunks and generous foliage, rendered with bold and expressive brushstrokes, create a natural framing effect. Their dark mass contrasts powerfully with the luminosity of the sky and sea, while their yellow-green leaves capture the Mediterranean light. This imposing presence of vegetation lends depth and verticality to the scene, guiding the viewer's gaze from terrestrial life to the vastness of the sea.

The thick, energetic brushstrokes, characteristic of Provençal Post-Impressionism, give the whole a vibrant texture where the paint itself becomes a subject of admiration.

The work is signed in the lower right corner. It is in very good condition. It is offered in what is probably its original frame, also in very good condition.

The artist:
Born in 1895 in Avignon, Gustave Vidal established himself as one of the major figures in Provençal landscape painting of the first half of the 20th century. Trained at the Avignon School of Fine Arts, he received numerous awards there, marking the beginning of a brilliant career. A member of the Salon des Artistes Français in Paris, his exhibitions multiplied in the South of France, in Paris, but also in Berlin and Brussels. His most remarkable works are now in the United States, Canada, and Japan.

Vidal's repertoire celebrates the landscapes of the South: Provence, the Basque Country, Corsica, as well as the interior of France. A painter of seascapes and landscapes, he immortalized the iconic sites of his native region, from the calanques to the perched villages.

What distinguishes Vidal is his unique technique: an excellent colorist, he worked the paint with a palette knife, modeling the impasto in thick layers that give his works a striking presence. His compositions vibrate with a typically Mediterranean luminosity.

Gustave Vidal passed away in 1966, leaving behind a substantial body of work that continues to captivate collectors and enthusiasts, cementing his place among the masters of 20th-century Provençal landscape painting.

Artwork on display at the gallery (07240).
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