Le Brûlis

20th-century oil on stretched canvas, unsigned.

An outdoor rural scene depicting a controlled field burn, an agricultural practice historically used to regenerate and maintain soil. On the left, a solitary figure works with a pitchfork. To the right, a mound emits thick smoke, rendered in rapid, layered strokes. The rising smoke merges with the sky, dissolving the boundary between land and atmosphere.

The surface is richly worked, with pronounced impasto and visible ridges suggesting partial use of a palette knife. This dense handling, softened by time, diffuses the light and contributes to the painting’s hazy character. Forms gently blur at their edges, approaching abstraction without losing their rural grounding.

A materially driven work in which texture and atmosphere carry equal weight.

• Overall Size: 9.8" x 14.1" / 25cm x 36.5cm.
  
• Country of origin: France. 
• Signature: Yes, lower left (illegible).
• Creation date: Circa 1930-40.  
  
• Condition: Apart from age-related cracking, the effects of which have been stabilised by the patina, the work shows a few minor stains. The canvas is in good condition and is ready to withstand the test of time thanks to its renewed stretcher.
• Materials: Oil painting on canvas.
• Shipped with DHL: Complimentary shipping to the US and Europe. A surcharge will be applied for deliveries to Australia, New Zealand, and Asia.
• DDP shipping: All taxes and import fees are included in the listed price.