The style in Provence paintings does not imply a specific technique and manner of execution; rather, content is important in them - plots, color palette and accents.
Anything can become the plot of the picture; this style loves lightness and comfort, but non-utilitarian and practical, but slightly magical, exciting the imagination, saturated with history, nostalgia and the smell of summer.
Style characteristic
For paintings in the style of the French country, not only village motifs are characteristic. Provence is the sun and happiness, delicious food and fine wine, all that teaches you to enjoy life and enjoy the little things. On the narrow streets of Provencal cities, history and nature mix together.
Provence is a style that evokes the spirit of calm and lightness. The accents in the paintings are set to an abundance of natural light, natural muted colors, as well as unexpectedly bright notes and contrasts. And no matter what it is - a still life, landscape or portrait.
Sunlight is an indispensable attribute of Provence, it is he who brings warmth and comfort to the plots of paintings, filling them with brilliance of myriads of shades of the warm sea, lavender fields and summer meadows.
Provence style story
Provence, such as it appears in the interior and painting now, was created by the generous nature of the south of France and the “do-it-yourself” generations of rural residents and farmers. That’s why similar motives and a certain style in Provence paintings can be traced.
The style of the French countryside is simple, comfortable and plentiful, reflecting the daily life of people who came to this region of France to “forge happiness” with their own hands.
Today, the main characteristic of the style is a deep respect for history. Paintings in the Provence style depict small low houses, narrow village streets, wicker baskets and pottery. All this can with equal probability be part of the modern world or history that has sunk into oblivion.
Typical genres
Historical and everyday genres are combined in a single style. In the paintings, Provence is depicted ephemerally - out of time and context. Plots of paintings are more like fragments and fragments of someone’s memories than a holistic perception of reality.
That is why the Provence style is ideal for still lifes. In them you can simply and tastefully depict everything that is so characteristic of the French countryside. What could be more “proven” than a flower-lit vase standing on a windowsill.
Still life is not the only genre that can emphasize this style in paintings. Provence is, first of all, magnificent landscapes of the south of France.
It doesn’t matter whether the village, the city or nature untouched by man is the plot of an oil painting in the Provence style - the landscape should have a number of characteristics, including the presence of herbs and flowers, a certain palette of shades and necessarily sunlight.
Palette and accessories
On the densely trodden and dusty streets of Provence villages, on the cobblestone squares of small cities, there are always elements of nature and history. The roughly hewn stone facades of old houses are painted with natural materials such as ocher, umber and lapis lazuli, and are almost always decorated with clay flowerpots with bushes of bright colors.
Anything can be depicted in the Provence style, if you decorate it with bouquets of lavender and add muted shades and sunlight. That is why for the Provencal palette the main colors are white, blue, yellow, and for contrast, colors such as olive, turquoise, lilac or Chinese pink, terracotta or amber are ideal.
Paintings with summer or spring landscapes, painted in the style of Auguste Renoir or Claude Monet, are perfectly suited to the style of the French province. Such paintings should not be enclosed in heavy museum frames; You can insert them into a regular rack frame, and it is best to hang it simply on a stretcher.