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This evocative oil painting by French artist Max Serge Chailloux captures a serene moment in the rural countryside, likely in southwestern France. Painted circa 1940, the work exemplifies Chailloux’s skill in portraying everyday life with clarity, warmth, and gentle nostalgia.
The composition centers on a traditional stone windmill, its aged surface rendered in rich impasto, with sweeping wooden sails reaching into a pale blue sky. Adjacent to the mill, a whitewashed farmhouse with green shutters and a red-tiled roof completes the pastoral setting. A lone figure in dark rural dress walks toward a well or wash basin, anchoring the scene with a quiet human presence.
The palette is soft and sunlit—dominated by creamy whites, warm earth tones, and touches of fresh green and floral color—while the textured brushwork enhances the tactile realism of the stonework, foliage, and ground.
This painting reflects Chailloux’s sensitivity to the beauty of rural life and his ability to translate the character of place into harmonious, enduring compositions.
Max Serge Chailloux (1902–1971) was a French painter known for his Impressionist and Modernist works. Born in Saintes, France, he relocated to Angoulême in 1947, where he continued his artistic pursuits until his death in 1971.
Chailloux's art often reflected his extensive travels, particularly to French colonies. His painting Tam-tam en Guinée Française (1939) exemplifies his engagement with African themes and was sold at auction for $3,005 USD at Tajan in 2010. Another notable work, Tuong-Yan-King, le brodeur Indo-Chinois (1924), portrays an Indochinese embroiderer and showcases his interest in Asian subjects.
Throughout his career, Chailloux's works were auctioned multiple times, primarily in France, indicating a sustained interest in his art. His legacy continues through his family; his great-niece, Martine Pinsolle, is also a painter, suggesting a familial lineage of artistic talent.
The Musée d'Angouleme has several of his works.
Artist: Max Chailloux (1902-1971).
Signed in the lower right corner.
Medium: Oil on canvas.
Condition: Very good condition.
Dimensions: 22 x 27 cm. / 8 1/2 x 10 1/2 in.
Frame: 26,5 x 31,5 cm. / 10 1/2 x 12 1/2 in. Very good condition.
Origin: France.
