Late 19th or Early 20th Century Impressionist Beach Scene Painting

This is a horizontal oil on canvas or board painting depicting a coastal genre scene, likely representing a shrimper or fisherman with a horse-drawn cart at low tide. The composition features a muted, atmospheric palette consisting of soft greys, pale yellows, blues, and sandy beige tones, suggesting an early morning or overcast lighting condition. In the foreground, a figure is seen wading into the shallow surf with a net, while a horse stands hitch to a two-wheeled cart nearby. The sky occupies roughly two-thirds of the canvas, rendered with loose, impressionistic brushwork to create a sense of vast coastal space. There appears to be a signature in the lower right corner, though it is difficult to decipher from the image. The artwork is housed in a prominent, ornate gold-toned gesso and wood frame featuring a repeating acanthus leaf and scrolling shell motif in high relief. The frame shows signs of age with some minor surface dust and potential small losses to the gilding typical of antique mouldings. The painting surface appears generally stable, though there are hints of slight craquelure consistent with age. This piece exemplifies the late 19th-century European tradition of coastal naturalism, possibly from the Dutch or French schools, focusing on the labor of coastal communities and the interplay of light and water.