Very fine study of grape branch was executed in 1871 by high listed French portrait and still life painter Charles POUCHON (1814 in Mouthier Haute-Pierre - 1882).

Son of a winemaker and winemaker himself, he remained attached to his native land of Franche-Comté. He studied at the Petit Séminaire in Ornans at the same time by Courbet, who made friendship with him.

Like the 19th century American "itinerants", he made numerous portraits of the people of his region. He placed them in their familiar decor, often reduced to a table or a pedestal table, painted them viewed from the front, the expression tense, a bit like posing with the photographer, but letting their personality appear. Courbet praised his paintings, which he sometimes bought himself to save him from misery. In 1864, Courbet wrote to his merchant Luquet: "This unfortunate man has a curious talent: it is like Holbein for naivety ... Be certain that Mr. Ingres could not do that, and that Mr. Flandrin could not do the portraits he does. Only this man lives on charity and bread, and the garlic and nuts he finds when he pays for his dinner. It seems that he also painted still lifes and genre compositions.

Literature: all in French: E. Benezit " Dictionary of painters, sculptors, decorators and etchers"(in French), Paris, 1999.Schurr II, 1972; R. Fernier: A friend of Courbet, Charles Pouchon the painter-winemaker, 1970 - Gérald Schurr, in: The Little Masters of painting 1820-1920, value of tomorrow, t.II, Les Éditions de l´Amateur, Paris 1982.

Inscription: signed and dated 1871 lower right.

Technique: oil on canvas. Luxuriousy original period gold-plated frame.

Measurements: unframed w 16 1/8" x h 13" (41 x 33 cm); framed w 24" x h 20 7/8" (61 x 53 cm).

Condition: in very good condition.