About the Painting
This original post-impressionist oil painting depicts the French village of Pont-du-Château, a historic commune in the Puy-de-Dôme department of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes in central France. The artist himself identified the location in a signed annotation on the verso, providing valuable provenance for this authenticated work. Painted in 1969, the composition captures the rustic charm and atmospheric quality characteristic of Sokol's mature period.
The painting showcases Sokol's evolution toward impressionism during the late 1960s, with loose brushwork and a sensitive treatment of light that brings the village scene to life. His palette and technique reflect the influence of French landscape tradition while maintaining a personal, contemplative approach to the subject matter.
About the Artist
Jacques Roland Sokol (1933-2023) was a French landscape painter of Polish descent whose family settled in France in 1925, emigrating from Cracow. Born on September 3, 1933, in Loches (Indre-et-Loire), Sokol was largely self-taught, receiving early instruction from his father and later studying under Mathurin Méheut (1882-1958) from 1947 onward.
Settling in Senlis (Oise) in 1960, Sokol balanced a military career in the French Air Force with his dedication to painting. He participated regularly in the Salon des Artistes Français and exhibited extensively throughout France and internationally. His artistic journey took him from abstraction through impressionism, culminating in a more somber style in his later years. His oeuvre primarily features landscapes of Brittany, Provence, Auvergne, and Oise.
Sokol continued painting until his death on January 23, 2023, in Nogent-sur-Oise at the age of 89, leaving behind a significant body of work documenting the French countryside across six decades.
Technical Details
Artist: Jacques Sokol (1933-2023)
Signed and dated: Lower left corner, 1969
Medium: Oil on canvas
Condition: Very good condition
Dimensions: 46 x 55 cm / 18 x 21½ in (canvas)
Frame: 59 x 68 cm / 23¼ x 26¾ in, very good condition
Origin: France
Provenance: Artist's annotation on verso identifying Pont-du-Château
Contact us for additional provenance documentation or condition reports.
