Dinard, the Rocks (1940)

Technical information

• Title : Dinard, the Rocks
• Date : 1940
• Technique : Oil on canvas
• Dimensions : 33 × 41 cm
• Location : Private collection *

Biographical / historical context

Dated 1940, this seascape relates to a group of coastal landscapes in which Breuillaud focuses on the oppositions between rock, sea and sky. The Dinard motif—a seaside resort in Brittany—confronts the artist with a cooler, more changeable light than that of the Midi, prompting him to explore a more iridescent range of colour.

The subject of rocks, treated on a relatively intimate format, suggests work from the motif—rapid yet highly constructed—where the sensation of wind, humidity and shifting light is translated through the brushwork.

Formal / stylistic description

The composition is dominated by a rocky mass in the foreground, its volumes modelled with a nervous handling of paint. To the right, a cliff and an overhanging path introduce a diagonal that guides the eye toward the distance. A few tiny figures punctuate the path, emphasising the site’s scale and giving the landscape a human measure.

The sea, rendered in turquoise and light blue tones, stretches to the horizon; a white sail punctuates the surface, a graphic counterpoint that reinforces depth. The rocks mix ochres, browns and violets, with green and pink reprises suggesting reflections and humidity. The paint surface is visible, worked in short touches and varied directions, creating a vibrant texture across the shoreline.

Comparative analysis / related works

This work belongs to the plein‑air views in which Breuillaud favours a very free handling of paint to convey immediate sensation. The rock treated in coloured facets, almost “prismatic”, recalls his way of approaching relief: not as an outline, but as a sum of chromatic planes.

Compared with his countryside landscapes, the contrast is here more pronounced between calm zones (sky, sea) and agitated zones (rocks, path). This alternation is characteristic of his marines: space is built in broad horizontal bands, interrupted by a mineral motif rendered with a dense concentration of touch.

Justification of dating and attribution

The dating to 1940 is compatible with the synthetic handling and chromatic boldness observed in works from this period: simplified silhouettes, the presence of violet and bluish accents, and a desire to condense the impression of the motif rather than describe it meticulously.

The coastal theme, combined with a tight format and a very mobile touch, corresponds to a phase in which Breuillaud explores different landscape territories while maintaining a constant formal language.

The attribution to André Breuillaud is supported by stylistic coherence: construction through value relationships, expressive use of the brushstroke, and the ability to articulate simple planes with a very lively material. The way violets and ochres are juxtaposed in the rock constitutes a recurring plastic signature in his work.

The signature is visible at lower right (to be confirmed by direct examination). The ensemble of material and stylistic characteristics argues for an autograph work.