La Gardien des alpages

A large tree with gnarled branches occupies almost the entire surface. Its light-coloured trunk rests on an illuminated slope, while its crown stands out against a grey-blue sky. Behind it, a line of conifers and a long, dark ridge define the depth: the tree, very close to the viewer, sets the scale of the landscape. Jacques Fuchs gives the motif an almost sculptural presence: the branches twist, spread apart, then come together again in an irregular crown. The signature “Fuchs” appears at the lower left. The painter, who was also active in sculpture, explored landscape among other subjects. The painting alternates between lightly worked passages in the sky and thick accents in the foliage and bark. Whites and browns follow the twists of the trunk; around them, olive greens, yellows and blacks break up the masses of vegetation. Below, a few touches of colour enliven the grass without drawing the eye away from the central silhouette. This oil painting on panel measures 55 × 50 cm. On the reverse, a brown ground and a hanging wire are visible in the frame assembly. The frame measures 71.5 × 66.5 cm. Its broad, textured surround in beige and gold tones is set off by a light inner moulding; it leaves space around the crown. Between the restless sweep of the branches and the calm of the sunlit slope, the painting captures a contrast of light among the trees.