Ploare was painted by André Dauchez in 1945.

Where can I see Ploare?

Ploare is held by National Library of Wales.

What movement is Ploare?

Ploare is associated with Post-Impressionism.

Artwork

Ploare

André Dauchez , 1945

Ploare is an oil painting by the Post-Impressionist artist André Dauchez. It dates from 1945 and is held in the collection of the National Library of Wales.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1945, Ploare is an oil painting by French artist André Dauchez. Executed in a post‑impressionist manner, the work captures a tranquil rural setting dominated by a modest Catholic church and a solitary, robust tree. The composition balances a muted sky with earthy tones, presenting a quiet moment in a Breton landscape.

Subject & Meaning

The canvas portrays a narrow dirt track flanked by tall trees that guide the eye toward a small village. Central to the scene is a white‑washed church with a sharply pointed steeple, accompanied by a simple adjoining structure. The juxtaposition of natural foliage and modest architecture suggests a harmonious relationship between faith, community, and the surrounding countryside.

Technique & Style

Dauchez employs loose, expressive brushwork, particularly evident in the foliage where the strokes create a tactile, almost sculptural surface.

Dauchez employs loose, expressive brushwork, particularly evident in the foliage where the strokes create a tactile, almost sculptural surface. The palette is restrained, favoring subdued greens, browns, and pale sky tones that reinforce the work’s serene atmosphere. The handling of paint reflects a post‑impressionist interest in texture and color modulation without resorting to overt dramatization.

History & Provenance

Born in Paris in 1870, André Dauchez worked across several media, including watercolor, pastel, engraving, and drawing, before focusing on oil landscapes. Ploare entered the collection of the National Library of Wales, where it remains accessible for scholarly study, illustrating the artist’s later period and his continued engagement with Breton subjects.

Context

The painting emerges shortly after World War II, a time when many French artists revisited rural motifs as a means of cultural renewal. Dauchez’s choice of a quiet, unassuming village scene aligns with broader post‑war tendencies to emphasize stability, tradition, and the enduring presence of regional identity in the French landscape.

La torre de la iglesia (cercanías de Douarnenez), Carlos de Haes

Artist & collection

Artist

André Dauchez

André Eugène Dauchez (17 May 1870 – 15 May 1948), born in Paris, was a French painter, watercolourist, pastellist, engraver, draughtsman and illustrator known for landscapes, waterscapes and seascapes.