René Besserve (1883-1959) - Le pêcheur au vif

Figurative oil painting on canvas signed by the French painter René Besserve, born in 1883 and deceased in 1959.

The work depicts a fishing scene entitled Le Pêcheur au vif. A seated fisherman occupies the foreground, holding a fishing rod or line, while several figures appear on the right-hand side of the composition.

The painting is signed Besserve on the front.

Several handwritten period inscriptions appear on the original stretcher:

the artist’s name Besserve;
the title Le Pêcheur au vif;
the inscription Ne pas vernir avant 1945, meaning “Do not varnish before 1945”.

This inscription suggests that the painting was most likely executed around the mid-1940s.

René Besserve trained at the Académie Julian and at the Montpellier School of Fine Arts. His works were shown at several Parisian salons during his career.

Details

Artist: René Besserve 1883–1959
Title: Le Pêcheur au vif
Medium: oil on canvas
Estimated period: circa 1945
Signature: hand-signed Besserve on the front
Inscriptions: artist’s name title and handwritten dating indication on the reverse
Dimensions including frame: approximately 40 × 32 cm
Total depth including hanging system: approximately 4 cm
Weight without packaging: approximately 410 g
Frame: old patinated wooden frame

Condition
Good overall condition considering its age.

The paint layer appears stable. The surface shows age-related traces and a few small marks visible in the photographs. The frame also shows wear and an old patina.

The reverse of the canvas the stretcher the handwritten inscriptions and the hanging system are all shown in the photographs.

The photographs form an integral part of the description.

The painting will be carefully packed with suitable protection and shipped with tracking.