Bidspirit auction | Wooded landscape with stream, Signed

Wooded landscape with stream, Signed Berteux, Barbizon School, 19th century - Oil on canvas. A naturalistic landscape of lush woodland traversed by a clear stream that meanders among rocks and clearings illuminated by soft, filtered light. The composition is organized around a deep diagonal axis marked by the watercourse and the paths that wind through the vegetation, creating a sense of serenity and silent contemplation of nature. In the distance, a small human figure provides scale and reinforces the intimate and poetic character of the landscape. The free and vibrant brushstrokes sensitively model the textures of the vegetation, the damp surfaces of the stones, and the changing reflections in the water, using a rich range of greens, ochres, and earth tones. The humid atmosphere and the direct capture of light effects reveal the influence of the Barbizon School and 19th-century French landscape painting, which focused on the natural observation of the environment and the emotional representation of the landscape. The signature “Berteux,” visible in the lower section, confirms the authorship or attribution of the work within this stylistic context. The painting stands out for its technical spontaneity, chromatic balance, and atmospheric sensitivity, constituting a remarkable example of 19th-century naturalistic landscape painting. Dimensions: 102 x 64 cm; 112 x 74 cm.