Early 20th Century Belgian School Oil Painting of a Red Roofed Cottage in Ornate Gilt Frame

This early 20th century Belgian school oil on board shows a whitewashed cottage with a bright red tiled roof, set beside a winding country road. A tall tree rises behind the cottage in soft greens and russets, a second cottage sits further along the lane, and a rustic wooden fence leads the eye past a bank of red wildflowers in the foreground. The sky is painted in muted greys and blues, giving the whole scene a hazy, early morning calm.

Height: 41cm (16.1in)
Width: 33cm (13in)
Measured including the frame

The painting is typical of the rural landscapes produced in Belgium around the turn of the century, when painters celebrated the farmhouses and country lanes of the Flemish and Brabant countryside. The grain of the wooden board shows through the sky in places, adding to its age and character. It is indistinctly signed to the lower left, and on the reverse is the oval label of the Maison de Rungs, a Brussels framer and print seller at 161 Rue de la Culture.

The frame is a real feature in its own right, with a deep border of moulded berries, fruit and leaves in a dark patina, highlighted in gold, around a gilt inner slip. It has cracks and some damage consistent with its age, as shown in the photographs, and the paint surface shows light craquelure and minor wear. It measures 41 x 33 cm including the frame and is ready to hang.

The warm red roof and soft greens make this a lovely painting for a cosy space. Hang it in a bedroom, a snug or a study, or lean it on a bookshelf or mantelpiece alongside old books, brass candlesticks and dried flowers. The ornate frame also works beautifully in a gallery wall, where it adds texture and depth among simpler frames. It would suit a country cottage or a period townhouse equally well.

A charming Belgian country scene in a characterful antique frame.