Untitled

Technical information

Title : Untitled
Date : c. 1950
Technique : Oil on canvas (HST)
Dimensions : 38 × 61 cm
Location : Private collection

Biographical / historical context

This work belongs to a phase of synthetic figuration in which Breuillaud builds bodies through flat areas of colour and simplifies the narrative in favour of a plastic dispositif. The use of the reverse of a canvas already in progress, mentioned in the documentation, suggests a studio practice based on reusing supports, reworking and variations—common in studies or transitional compositions.

Formal / stylistic description

The scene, in a horizontal format, reads as a frieze with several figures. At left, a seated woman rendered as a dark mass (dark dress, light collar) anchors the composition; at centre, a group of three simplified figures forms a triangular nucleus; at right, a figure set back engages with a large wheel occupying a substantial part of the field. The background landscape is reduced to synthetic forms (hills, trees) without descriptive depth. The palette combines greens, reds/oranges, blues and browns, with warm/cool contrasts and oppositions of saturated planes. The faces are intentionally sparing in detail; the focus lies on the balance of masses and rhythms.

Comparative analysis / related works

The geometrised figuration, construction in flat planes and the use of a structuring object‑sign (the wheel) place the work firmly within the coherence of the PR2 corpus around 1950. The dominant circle acts as a visual pivot, while the contrast between the seated figure’s dark mass and the more vivid chroma of the central group is a distinctive feature of this composition.

Justification of dating and attribution

The simplification of anatomies, the syntax of coloured planes and the structuring function of the sign (wheel) are compatible with a PR2 moment around 1950. The handling in flat areas and the compressed space correspond to a phase in which the figurative scene serves as an armature for chromatic orchestration. These elements justify a circa 1950 date and attribution to André Breuillaud.

Provenance / exhibitions / publications

Private collection.