Artist Gustave Loiseau Appraisal

Gustave Loiseau, Avenue de l'Opéra (Perspective View of Paris)

This is an oil on canvas painting attributed to Gustave Loiseau (1865-1935), a prominent French Post-Impressionist landscape painter. The scene depicts a bustling Parisian street, likely the Avenue de l'Opéra, executed in his signature 'en treillis' (lattice) style characterized by cross-hatched brushstrokes that create a shimmering, atmospheric effect. The palette is dominated by muted greys, blues, and ochres, punctuated by softer pastel tones to capture the hazy light of a Parisian day. The composition features a deep linear perspective typical of cityscapes from this era. The painting is housed in an elaborately carved, gilt-wood Louis XV style frame with scrolled acanthus leaf patterns and shell motifs at the corners. The frame shows some minor surface wear and patina consistent with age, particularly along the inner molded edges. The canvas appears well-tensioned, though the image quality suggests a need for inspection regarding potential yellowing of old varnish. Loiseau's technique here exemplifies late 19th to early 20th-century French Impressionist traditions, focusing on the movement of crowds and light rather than crisp architectural detail.