Stanislas-Victor-Edmond Lépine, 'A Gateway behind Trees', 1870-92

This small oil painting on paper mounted on canvas is attributed to Stanislas-Victor-Edmond Lépine, whose signature is faintly visible. The paper is torn along the edges and a darker underlayer suggests an earlier composition has been painted over.

A simple path in a park or woodland leads up a slight incline to an open gateway flanked by two posts and high stone walls. On the right, there is a house with a red tiled roof. Formerly titled Matinal (In The Morning or Early Morning), the picture is bathed in pale sunlight, its faintly yellow hue complementing the green tones of the foliage and undergrowth. The location may be Montmartre, an area in the north of Paris where many artists, including perhaps Lépine, lived and had their studios.

Lépine appears to have been self taught, but in his twenties he became a student of Corot. His use here of subtle tonal harmonies shows his teacher’s influence, but does not match Corot’s quality of observation.