Early 20th century Scottish Loch landscape with cows and birds
REF: 2329
Alfred Fontville de Breanski (British, 1877-1957)
Scottish Loch Scene, oil on canvas, circa early 20th century
This luminous Highland landscape by Alfred Fontville de Breanski captures the sweeping drama and serene grandeur of the Scottish wilderness, likely depicting one of the great lochs nestled beneath the rugged peaks of the Western Highlands. A painter celebrated for his vivid interpretations of Scotland's natural splendour, de Breanski here offers a moment of quiet majesty, rendered with a palette of soft rose, amber, and mauve as the day fades into twilight.
The composition is anchored by a broad, mirror-like loch, its surface gently reflecting the rose-tinted sky and distant peaks. Cattle wade at the water's edge, a classic pastoral motif linking man and nature, while wisps of mist and shadow gather around the foot of the hills, adding depth and atmosphere. De Breanski's handling of light is particularly accomplished-he captures the fading glow of sunset as it grazes the mountaintops, a signature of his work that lends both drama and serenity to the scene.
Son of the famed Victorian landscape painter Alfred de Breanski Sr., Alfred Fontville inherited a deep appreciation for the British landscape but developed a style that was softer and more impressionistic than his father's. While grounded in the romantic realism of the 19th century, his work often reflects the shifting sensibilities of the Edwardian and interwar years, with a greater emphasis on tonal harmony and mood.
This painting, framed in its original ornate gilt frame, exemplifies the timeless appeal of Highland scenery in British art. It speaks to a long tradition of romantic landscape painting-one that celebrates not just topography, but atmosphere, memory, and the enduring beauty of the natural world.
- Height 55.86 cm / 22 "
- Width 74.9 cm / 29 "
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Scottish Loch Scene, oil on canvas, circa early 20th centuryThis luminous Highland landscape by Alfred Fontville de Breanski captures the sweeping drama and serene grandeur of the Scottish wilderness, likely depicting one of the great lochs nestled beneath the rugged peaks of the Western Highlands. A painter celebrated for his vivid interpretations of Scotland's natural splendour, de Breanski here offers a moment of quiet majesty, rendered with a palette of soft rose, amber, and mauve as the day fades into twilight.The composition is anchored by a broad, mirror-like loch, its surface gently reflecting the rose-tinted sky and distant peaks. Cattle wade at the water's edge, a classic pastoral motif linking man and nature, while wisps of mist and shadow gather around the foot of the hills, adding depth and atmosphere. De Breanski's handling of light is particularly accomplished-he captures the fading glow of sunset as it grazes the mountaintops, a signature of his work that lends both drama and serenity to the scene.Son of the famed Victorian landscape painter Alfred de Breanski Sr., Alfred Fontville inherited a deep appreciation for the British landscape but developed a style that was softer and more impressionistic than his father's. While grounded in the romantic realism of the 19th century, his work often reflects the shifting sensibilities of the Edwardian and interwar years, with a greater emphasis on tonal harmony and mood.This painting, framed in its original ornate gilt frame, exemplifies the timeless appeal of Highland scenery in British art. It speaks to a long tradition of romantic landscape painting-one that celebrates not just topography, but atmosphere, memory, and the enduring beauty of the natural world.){kind=link}