1960s French Landscape of Biene, Burgundy, by François Brochet (1925-2001)

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A penciled note “Biene vue generale” on the wooden stretcher bar verso leads the viewer to Beine, a charming wine-producing … Read more A penciled note “Biene vue generale” on the wooden stretcher bar verso leads the viewer to Beine, a charming wine-producing commune located in the Yonne department of Burgundy, France.
Capturing what this locale might have looked like in the 1960s, the painting focuses on a small hamlet surrounding a church with a distinctive blue, conical spire. The village is flanked by rolling, terraced hillsides and patchwork agricultural fields typical of the French countryside. The prominent blue steeple depicted in the artwork matches the exact profile of the historic Gothic church, Église Notre-Dame de Beine.
This location perfectly aligns with artist François Brochet (1925–2001), who lived, worked, and established his permanent museum gallery in the neighboring town of Auxerre where he was born—located just 12 kilometers west of Beine.
In this work, the artist utilizes a structured, mid-century figurative style. The composition is built on bold shapes, simplified geometry, and a vibrant palette of golden wheat fields, deep greens, and a brilliant blue sky dotted with stylized clouds.
François Brochet was a highly celebrated twentieth-century French artist, who was the son of a painter and playwright. He is most famously recognized as a master sculptor, having created more than one thousand sculptures across his 54-year career. He was highly praised for his expressive polychrome wood carvings and majestic, stylized bronze figures. He added painting, watercolors, and tapestry design to his active repertoire in 1963. That year, he received the prestigious Prix Bourdelle de Sculpture. Throughout his life, his work was heavily exhibited internationally, securing solo exhibitions in Paris, New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles.
Signature: Lower right, (photo #9). Unframed dimensions: 25" wide x 19" high. See less