Joseph Vernet (circle), 18th-century French School. Harbor View.

We present this harbor view, a work from the 18th-century French school, which was attributed to Joseph Vernet (1714-1789) due to ink writing on the stretcher. However, it was sold at auction as a work by a follower of Joseph Vernet, belonging to the 19th-century French school. During the removal of the oxidized varnish, we discovered small triangular additions of canvas, approximately 5 x 5 cm, in the four corners of the painting, invisible to the naked eye. This intervention suggests that the work was originally octagonal in format and could also explain its previous relining, probably carried out in the 19th century. The original canvas, however, is in very good condition.The quality of the drawing and the mastery of the brushstrokes demonstrate a very high level of execution. The composition depicts a beautiful sunset over the Mediterranean, under a cloudy sky, bathed in subtle light. Figures bring the scene to life, rendered in a palette of colors that is both refined and bold.During his lifetime, Joseph Vernet inspired many painters who drew inspiration from his work. Among them was Charles François Grenier de Lacroix, known as "Lacroix de Marseille," an 18th-century painter whose compositions share similarities with this one.19th-century frame.Inscription on the stretcher: "Lighthouse of Sainte-Marie in Marseille."