The Road in the Snow (1942)

Technical information

• Title : The Road in the Snow
• Date : 1942
• Technique : Oil on canvas (HST)
• Dimensions : 46 × 55 cm
• Location : Private collection

Biographical / historical context

Dated 1942, this winter view belongs to a period in which André Breuillaud favoured nearby, readily accessible motifs, painted from life or from immediate impressions. The countryside then offered a reservoir of stripped-back subjects—roads, trees, woodland edges—able to concentrate attention on light and on the structure of the landscape.

The choice of a snow-covered road, a modest and silent motif, can also be read as a way of sustaining a steady practice despite the constraints of the time: the painter finds a form of stability in the repetition of seasons and in the careful observation of atmospheric variations.

Formal / stylistic description

The composition is organised around a broad, snow-covered track that descends diagonally before curving, drawing the eye toward a horizon of bluish hills. Bare trees punctuate the scene with fine verticals, set against the horizontal spreads of snow and the ribbon of road.

The palette combines off-whites and warm ochres, as if the snow were crossed by late-afternoon light. Laid in visible strokes, the paint surface reveals the support in places and contributes to an impression of luminous cold; shadows are built from grey-greens and browns rather than blacks.

Comparative analysis / related works

A recurring motif in Breuillaud’s work, the road functions here as a compositional tool: it articulates foreground, middle ground, and distance while introducing a breath of space within a landscape otherwise closed by the arboreal masses.

Compared with fuller or more architectured landscapes, this scene emphasises an economy of means—few elements, yet great attention to value transitions and to the diffusion of light. It also foreshadows the village and path views the artist would return to after the war, where the itinerary becomes a way of narrating a place.

Justification of dating and attribution

The date 1942, borne by the artist’s inscription, is consistent with the synthetic treatment of space and the broad, touch-led facture that privileges overall effect over minute description. The slightly bluish horizon and softened contrasts correspond to a practice attentive to seasonal ambience.

The attribution to André Breuillaud rests on stylistic constants: construction through diagonals, an alternation of masses and voids, a fondness for trees as the armature of the picture, and the use of muted colours enlivened by warm accents.

Provenance / exhibitions / publications

Private collection. Provenance, exhibition, and publication information: not communicated to date.