19th Century French Sheep Oil Painting in Carved Gilt Frame Signed L. Simonnet

$2,800

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Decorate an office or study with this beautiful antique pastoral oil painting. Hand painted in France circa 1880, and signed by French artist Lucien Simonnet (1849-1926), the tranquil painting depicts a bucolic rural scene rendered in a rich, naturalistic palette. At the center of the composition, a shepherd leads a flock of sheep down a winding country path beneath towering trees. In the distance, a quaint village with red-roofed cottages nestles amid verdant foliage beneath a soft, cloud-laced sky. Simonnet’s delicate brushwork and attention to atmospheric light evoke the serenity of the French countryside, recalling the tonal harmonies and compositional balance of the Barbizon School. Set in an ornate, giltwood frame with egg-and-dart and foliate molding, the artwork exudes classical refinement. The impasto technique and soft blending lend depth and texture to the foliage, while the subtle movement of the animals enlivens the otherwise peaceful landscape. The painting is in excellent condition commensurate with age and use, and adorns soft and wonderful colors. Louis Lucien Simonnet was born on 22 November 1849 in the former 7ᵉ arrondissement of Paris and died on 16 April 1926 in Sèvres, at age 76. He was the son of Jean François Simonnet and Marie Louise Viszin, and in 1897 married Marie Pauline Beaudet, establishing his residence on rue des Rouillis in Sèvres. Simonnet exhibited regularly at the Salon des artistes français from 1882 through 1925 and was awarded the Prix Rosa-Bonheur in 1905. In 1897 he showed “Brouillards du matin (au Petit Andely)” at the Salon de Bruxelles. Primarily a landscape painter (and noted porcelain painter), Simonnet’s oeuvre encompasses misty river scenes, pastoral scenes, castle ruins at dusk, and coastal views such as Paimpol at sunset. At least one of his snow-clad landscapes (“Ville-d’Avray, effet de neige”) is held by the Musée d’Orsay in Paris, reflecting institutional recognition of his work. Listed in the Benezit (see last picture). 29.75″W x 23″H

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