Oil On Canvas, The Shore at Bréhec, French School (Early 20th Century)

French School (20th century)

The Shore at Bréhec

Oil on canvas. Inscribed “Brehec”, monogrammed and dated 23.2.22 lower right

29 x 39 cm

Bréhec is a small harbour on the north coast of Brittany, sheltered in a cove between green headlands. In this painting the tide is out. Fishing boats rest on the sand by the old stone jetty, and rocks lie scattered across the beach in the foreground. Beyond the point, more sails dot the open sea under a soft, cloudy sky.

The painter has written the place and the exact date on the canvas, 23 February 1922. That suggests it was painted on the spot, perhaps by a visitor or a talented amateur recording a winter’s day by the sea. The paint has developed a fine network of cracks over the past century, which adds to its quiet, weathered charm.