1950s French Oil on Canvas- Provence Sea Urchin Feast - 25½"x 36¼"

Painted with a vigorous impasto in saturated Mediterranean hues, this mid-century French oil on canvas portrays a sea urchin feast set on the rocky inlets of Provence, circa 1950s. A crimson bottle stands on ochre sand beside a white cloth strewn with open urchins in black and coral tones, while an indigo sea and pale limestone headlands stretch beneath a clear blue sky. The work is signed Raoux at the lower left. The palette-knife surface gives a tactile relief and lively movement. Unframed and of generous scale, it presents in good condition with light edge wear and minor scuffing consistent with age.

The subject evokes a traditional coastal picnic known locally as a sea urchin tasting, common along the shores between Marseille and Cassis during the winter harvest. The thick knife work, simplified forms, and bold colors capture the glare, warmth, and salt-laden air with striking immediacy, lending the work a strong evocative power.

This piece brings coastal character to a dining room or kitchen, where its subject naturally invites conviviality and appetite. It pairs well with bleached oak, linen, and stone, and is ideal to anchor a wall above a sideboard or banquette in a beach house. Striking and unique, this work infuses the room with a vivid Mediterranean spirit, its original theme bringing both freshness and authenticity