La Baie

20th-century large-scale oil on canvas, signed lower left Laurent Gsell (1860–1944).

A Mediterranean coastal landscape representing the French Riviera. The composition opens with a rocky foreground and a path to the left, framed by umbrella pines typical of the region. Purples, ochres, and warm earth tones move across the rocks, path, and sea, with occasional jewel-like accents animating the surface.

Beyond the foreground, seaside houses are rendered with rhythmic post-impressionist brushwork. A distant mountain range recedes in softened tones, leading to a wide sky structured by layered clouds.

The surface shows visible raised brushwork, particularly in the pines, where textured application reinforces light and structure. These deliberate marks are integral to the artist’s gesture and not later alterations.

The painting privileges atmosphere over precise topography. Its scale and assured handling give it a strong visual presence.

About the artist:

Lucien Laurent-Gsell (1860–1944) was a French painter and illustrator, born and deceased in Paris. He came from an artistic family; his father, Gaspard Gsell, was a painter and glassmaker, and his mother, Caroline Adèle Laurent, also belonged to a family of artists.

He trained at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris under his father and Alexandre Cabanel. Between 1880 and 1920, he exhibited regularly at the Salon of the Société des Artistes Français and later at the Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts.

His work includes genre scenes, landscapes, marine views, and illustrations. He painted Parisian subjects as well as landscapes from various regions of France, including the Côte d’Azur and Dieppe, and locations abroad. In 1911, he was appointed Official Painter of the French Navy (Peintre Officiel de la Marine).

• Overall Size: 29.5" x 34" / 75.5cm x 88cm.
  
• Size without the frame: 23.6" x 28.7" / 60.5cm x 73cm. 
• Country of origin: France
• Signature: Laurent Gsell (1860-1944) in the lower left corner.
  
• Creation date: Circa 1900. 
• Condition: The work is in excellent condition overall, with only a few minor, isolated impacts to the visible white outer mat. The light wooden frame is more recent than the painting itself and remains in excellent condition.
• Materials: Oil painting on wood canvas in a more modern light wooden frame.
• 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.