FRENCH BARBIZON PAINTING OF "FEEDING THE CHICKENS"
In oil on panel; circa 1870; signed indistinctly lower right
Item # C104101 

A very handsome and cheery rural scene depicting a peasant woman feeding the chickens in the yard outside of the barn. Beautifully detailed, the scene offers a glimpse of countryside living during the late 19th century that is romantic without glossing over the living conditions of the people. Bright and vivid with a high-chroma palette, the work is characterized by a vigorous brushed handling of the distant foliage with much greater attention to details in the figure.

The reverse of the panel is stamped in black ink "VIEILLE / MD DE COULEURS / Rentoile et Restaure les Tableaux / Rue Bréda 30, PARIS". Vieille was an artist supply company for many of the major Barbizon artists in France and operated at Rue Bréda 30 from 1868-1872. The lower right of the panel is signed illegibly "J. Voll...", certainly in the manner of Antoine Vollon (French, 1833-1900), but presently remains unattributed.

Measurements: 12 1/2" H x 18" W [panel]; 20 3/4" H x 26" W x 3 1/4" D [frame]

Condition Report:
Professionally conserved: horizontal crack restored through mid with associated inpainting; surface cleaned; minor spots of touch up, including spots of inpainting around edges of panel; old frame with chips to gesso and gilt loss, separations in corners.