French Impressionist Oil Painting of Boats by the Sea in Breton Village

Title: French Impressionist Oil Painting of Boats by the Sea in Breton Village By Fanch Lel (French b. 1930) Size: 4.25 x 6 inches (height x width) Signed: Yes Oil painting on cardboard, unframed Condition: The painting is in good condition. Provenance: All the paintings we have for sale by this artist have come from the artists estate and have had no previous owners at all. Description: This expressive piece by Fanch Lel, titled “Bords de Mer” (2004), transports viewers to a peaceful Breton village on the coast of France, where vibrant boats rest ashore, quietly awaiting their next journey. The artist’s mastery of color and texture is on full display, using a thick application of paint to create a highly tactile surface, bringing depth and movement to the scene. The soft pastel tones of the sky and distant cottages contrast beautifully with the lively strokes of red and green that highlight the boats and rooftops, imbuing the composition with a sense of energy and warmth. Lel’s signature loose brushstrokes, typical of his impressionistic style, evoke the feeling of a fleeting moment captured in time, while the subtle interplay of light and shadow across the canvas creates a harmonious balance between tranquility and vitality. The distant figure in red adds a human presence, suggesting the everyday rhythms of life along the coast. This painting not only reflects the charm of rural Breton life but also speaks to the artist’s deep connection to nature and his ability to capture its ever-changing moods.