Fernand Maillaud (1863-1948) Return Of The Hay In Creuse. Crozant School, Berry, Châteauroux

Magnificent gouache by Fernand Maillaud representing a return from the hay in Creuse or Berry, signed lower right. Format of the gouache at sight 21.5x26cm and 34x39cm including frame. This is therefore a superb gouache by Fernand Maillaud who paints here one of his favorite subjects, the peasant world in Creuse or Berry, here exactly a scene of the return from the hay in summer, we see a team of oxen loaded with hay, characters including a couple taking a break under a tree. Maillaud uses gouache here, a technique that he masters to perfection thanks to a slightly divided touch and a lively and tan palette where yellows rub shoulders with greens, intense blue, ochre, vermilion red .... I no longer present Fernand Maillaud, excellent "reference" painter of the Crozant school, with his views of the banks of the Creuse, but also and especially those of his native country Berry. His reputation is well established, even across the Atlantic where he had enormous success during his lifetime. Maillaud achieved fame thanks to his rustic scenes of the peasant world, but also with his famous market scenes; but he was also recognized for his orientalist scenes, his views of Venice or Paris at the beginning, some of which are preserved at the Carnavalet Museum in Paris. He was also close to the famous poet Maurice Rollinat whom he sketched several times. His attachment to his native Berry as well as to Creuse earned him a place among the best painters of the Crozant school alongside Detroy, Guillaumin or Alluaud. It was believed that his popularity was losing ground, yet his paintings have still sold very very well very recently with peaks of over €3,500. So an emblematic painter of the Crozant school, but also of the Provençal school, also renowned for his orientalist scenes, his portraits and finally his tapestries and even his sculpted furniture This gouache is in very good condition; delivered very well framed in a modern frame with two patinas Work guaranteed authentic