Artist: Ernest Henry Dubois. I love these old "Fruits of the Hunt" themed paintings on board, 19th century French works that were more a prayer of thanks for the evening meal than they were about hunting, really. They're almost trompe l'oeil, with birds or perhaps rabbits, etc., hanging against a wall or arranged on a tabletop, fresh for the evening's kitchen preparation. This one very Victorian in style, hand painted on a solid hardwood pane. The artist's signature is in the lower right corner. The art work is very accomplished - palette, shadowing and visible raised brush strokes are wonderful. The painting is beautifully crafted on a petit 8 3/4" x 6 1/4" x 1/4" wood panel with a relatively newer frame added. These mostly hung unframed, and it comes to us from France unframed and original. We'd date it c.1880-1900, perhaps earlier. Full measurements noted on the photos.
Very good to excellent condition for age and type. Painted on a wooden panel, no canvas to have holes or damage. No losses of note to the oil painting that I can see and a really gorgeous treatment of the subject. The board is approximately 1/4" thick, suitable to hang as it is, or also with no frame. Traditionally, these hung in kitchen or dining area, simply and elegantly without frame. A wonderful one for kitchen now. Perhaps you might want to just lean it up against cabinet or bookshelf or easel-stand it on your kitchen center prep bar, along with a bowl of fruit or autumn gourds, as a vignette.
