
Description
Signed: Yes
Size: 8.5 inches (height) x 10.75 inches (width)
Medium: Oil on board, unframed
Condition: The painting is in good condition with slight edge wear consistent with age.
Provenance: All the paintings we have for sale by this artist have come from the artist’s estate and have had no previous owners at all.
Description: Titled “St. Grawi” on the reverse, this oil painting by French artist Fanch Lel depicts a serene village street scene leading toward an ornate cathedral spire. The composition is alive with texture, depth, and expressive movement—hallmarks of Lel’s impressionist style. Soft lilacs, pastel greens, and creamy ochres blend to create a cool yet luminous atmosphere, evoking the crisp air and hazy light of an early morning. A figure in black walks toward the foreground, basket in hand, perhaps heading home from market or church. Other figures, rendered in gestural dabs, populate the village subtly in the distance. The viewer’s eye is drawn along the street toward the dramatic spire, which pierces the sky with impasto flourishes of white and grey-blue. Surrounding buildings—quaint, shuttered homes with steep roofs—frame the path and lend a sense of intimacy and structure. While the exact location of “St. Grawi” remains uncertain, the architecture and painterly language suggest a setting in Brittany or Normandy, regions rich in historic ecclesiastical architecture and narrow village streets. Lel captures not only the physical space but also a sense of timeless ritual—daily life unfolding quietly against the backdrop of centuries-old stone. This piece would appeal to collectors of village and ecclesiastical scenes, lovers of French provincial charm, and those drawn to painterly textures that evoke place through emotion rather than precision.
Reserve: $427.00
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Fanch Lel; Bateaux French Coastal Oil Painting with Boats and Lighthouse
Estimate $500-$600
Starting Price
$200
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