Frieze of a French Village Fair by L. Lantier, 1930s

About the Item

Fabulous 3 meter oil painting on canvas representing a "Foire aux bestiaux", in a French village. The painting is very decorative and captures the essence of French village life and its characters. We see, from left to right, two men looking very pleased with themselves, possibly off to celebrate their morning's purchases over a long lunch a shawled woman, shrewdly selecting a pig from a pen; a seller showing off his prize beast to a potential buyer; his wife behind, with her hand on his arm, seeming to plead caution; a beret-wearing onlooker, arms behind his back, who has strolled up to witness the scene and no doubt offer comment; and lastly a couple in full conversation, wearing their Sunday best. The scene takes place on the market square there are buildings, bustling crowds chatting and going about their business, and in the background a Café and a Tabac. Very evocative of French country life. Signed in the bottom right-hand corner: Lucien Lantier. Lucien Lantier was a French painter, born in 1879 in Odessa, Ukraine, to French parents. He went to Paris in the late 1880s to study, notably at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts, and was commissioned to decorate several hotels and events. His work was also featured in several international exhibitions. He died in 1960, near Alès, in the South of France. This piece epitomizes Frenchness and an important aspect of French living i.e. markets, farming and agriculture and would greatly contribute an authentic note to the decor of any French and/or food-themed venue (café, restaurant, upmarket food-oriented retail store, etc) or private residence dining-room, kitchen.

Dimensions:

Height: 25.2 in (64 cm)Width: 125.99 in (320 cm)Depth: 0.04 in (1 mm)

Place of Origin:

France

Period:

Early 20th Century

Date of Manufacture:

circa 1930s-1940s

Condition:

Unframed and not mounted on a chassis. Can be rolled for ease of shipping.

Seller Location:

Isle Sur La Sorgue, FR