Big Sky Fine Art has dated this Framed Harbour Oil Painting to the 1930s.
French ( b.1902 - d.1956 ).
Unloading & Loading, Palermo Harbour, Sicily, Italy.
Oil On Board.
Signed Lower Left.
Image size 17.7 inches x 21.1 inches ( 45cm x 53.5cm ).
Frame size 21.7 inches x 25.2 inches ( 55cm x 64cm ).
The painting is presented and supplied in a sympathetic contemporary replacement frame (which is shown in these photographs).
The fibreboard and the painted surface have both benefitted from cleaning and conservation, which was performed on our instruction, supervision and approval.
This antique painting is in a good condition. It wants for nothing and is supplied ready to hang and display.
The painting is signed lower left.
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Paul Bret was a French painter, draughtsman, printmaker and musician. He was born in Draguignan, Var, on 23 March 1902. He studied at the École des Arts Décoratifs and later at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, where he was taught by distinguished artists including Lucien Simon, René Ménard, and Jean-Gabriel Goulinat.
Bret began exhibiting at the Salon de la Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts in 1923 and quickly gained recognition within French artistic circles. In 1924 he was awarded the Prix Brizard by the Institut de France, an early distinction that helped establish his reputation.
Bret's subjects included landscapes, harbour scenes, Mediterranean towns, portraits and figure compositions. His travels took him beyond France and Greece to destinations including Italy, where he painted views of Venice, Pisa and other historic locations.
In addition to easel painting Bret undertook decorative and mural commissions, such as the monumental murals for the ballroom of the Maison des Étudiants, and he worked in Paris on the Stations of the Cross for the Carmelite Church and the Institute of Art and Archaeology. He also produced illustrations for books.
© Big Sky Fine Art
This original oil on board by French artist Paul Bret depicts the bustling waterfront of Palermo Harbour, Sicily, during the late 1930s. Traditional sailing vessels, dock workers, and horse-drawn carts animate the scene, capturing the everyday activity of one of the Mediterranean’s most important ports.
Painted with expressive brushwork and a sensitive understanding of light and atmosphere, the composition conveys both the energy of maritime commerce and the distinctive character of Sicily’s historic harbour. The work is signed by the artist in the lower left corner and represents a fine example of Bret’s accomplished harbour and coastal scenes.
A highly attractive and collectable Mediterranean maritime painting, combining historical interest with timeless decorative appeal.
For a full biography of this artist please see his listing on www.bigskyfineart.com .
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Big Sky Fine Art has dated this Framed Harbour Oil Painting to the 1930s.
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Paul Bret 1902 - 1956. Unloading & Loading Ships, Palermo Harbour, Sicily, Italy. Framed 1930s Oil Painting.
