Maurice Vagh-Weinmann (1906-1990), Attributed to - Le clown

Artist :
Maurice Vagh-Weinmann, born August 20, 1899 in Budapest and died in 1986, was a French painter of Hungarian origin.

Attribution:
Studio of / Circle of a 20th-century European Expressionist painter
(stylistic attribution based on technique and pictorial writing; absence of formal identification of the artist at this stage)

Title:
The Clown

Date / era:
Toward the middle of the 20th century (circa 1930–1940)

Technique and support
Oil on canvas
Painting executed with thick impasto, probably using a palette knife, in an expressive and gestural manner.

Frame carved and gilded in wood, of an antique style, probably later added.

Signature / inscriptions :
Signature or inscription visible in the lower left corner, executed in paint.
No other apparent inscription on the front or back.

Stylistic description:
The work depicts a figurative scene treated in an expressionist vein, characterized by dense pictorial material, pronounced impasto, and a dark palette dominated by earthy, black, and red tones. The composition prioritizes emotional intensity and the force of gesture over drawing precision. Taken as a whole, it evokes an expressive search akin to certain European post-expressionist currents.

Provenance
Private collection, France.
Artwork passed down by family inheritance; belonged to the depositor's father-in-law, who is now deceased.
No information is available about any previous acquisitions or a gallery stint.

Documentation:
No certificate of authenticity, purchase invoice, or reference to the known catalogue raisonné to date.
No formal assessment has been conducted at this stage.

Condition status
Good overall condition
A painted surface displaying a stable impasto with light, natural signs of aging.
No restorations visible to the naked eye.
Antique frame showing signs of wear consistent with its age (small losses and patina).

Additional remarks:
This work is part of a European painting tradition of the 20th century marked by the expressiveness of the gesture and the emphasis placed on the material. A further expert assessment could help clarify the attribution and the context of its creation.