Whimsical French Landscape Painting Of A River Town 21¾" x 30¼"

This 1948 oil on canvas landscape painting offers a charming, somewhat naïve bird’s-eye view of a European town by a river. Painted in deep, earthy tones, the scene is full of unexpected detail and character. The darker shades give it a moody, almost brooding feel, while the subject remains serene and the execution feels almost storybook-like, adding a touch of whimsy.

The composition is dominated by two striking bridges: one a stone road bridge with multiple arches, and the other a modern railway viaduct. These guide the eye into a town that gently climbs into the hills, dotted with red-roofed houses, industrial chimneys, and a church with a tall spire. Green fields and tree-lined paths beside the river evoke both pastoral calm and human industry.

The painting’s slightly primitive, folk-art style brushwork still manages to capture a sincere sense of realism, with precise details of the town and landscape.

Without a frame and showing visible signs of age, the painting has a raw, authentic charm that makes it feel like a personal document of time and place, full of quirky energy.