Paris, l'Arc de Triomphe by Marius Girard

This is a mid-20th-century impressionist-style watercolor or gouache artwork on paper depicting the iconic Arc de Triomphe in Paris. The piece is signed in the lower right corner by the artist Marius Girard and titled 'PARIS. L'Arc de triomphe' on the lower left. The composition features loose, brisk brushwork and a vibrant palette of blues, greens, yellows, and oranges, illustrating a bustling street scene with figures and a horse-drawn carriage in the foreground. The artwork is professionally matted with an inner white border and a wider, pale olive-green mat. It is housed in an ornate gold-toned wooden frame with beaded inner molding and a textured greenish-gold finish. The condition appears to be good with no visible foxing, water damage, or fading to the pigments. Marius Girard was a prolific artist active in the mid-1900s known for his Parisian cityscapes, which were often reproduced as high-quality lithographs or postcards; based on the application of color, this appears to be an original hand-colored work or watercolor. The craftsmanship of the frame and the depth of the matting indicate it was framed for professional display in the late 20th century.