'Sailboat in St. Tropez Harbour', French School (circa 1960s)

'Sailboat in St. Tropez Harbour', oil on canvas, French School (circa 1960s). The best way to arrive in Saint-Tropez is probably by yacht—preferably your own. But for the vast majority of us, a walk around the Vieux Port will have to do. In this delightful, almost naive depiction, a cruising sailboat under the French flag is in port with stern-to the quay using an aft gangway. Some skill is required for this manoeuvre as a boat drops its main anchor away from the dock and backs in, throwing stern lines ashore to secure the boat to the dock. The anchor will hold the boat away from the quay. This system is quite common in Mediterranean ports. Once that is complete, a stroll around the port village of St. Tropez promises many delights. Of course the name Saint-Tropez evokes images of sunbathing celebrities, designer boutiques, and luxury yachts. It's hard to believe this glamorous town was once just a humble fishing village. The appeal of Saint-Tropez was first discovered in the late 19th century by the Impressionist painter Paul Signac, who later lured artists such as Matisse and Marquet here. Then in 1955, the film, Et Dieu Créa la Femme (And God Created Woman), starring Brigitte Bardot, forever changed this small port town into a legendary seaside resort, sparkling amid the glitz of the Côte d'Azur (Ref: Lisa Alexander).

In fair condition, this artwork was professionally cleaned and preserved stabilising the paint for decades to come. Please enjoy the many accompanying images. You will see some cracking in the paint which has been stabilised. The overall impression of the delightful work however, remains unaffected. It has been newly framed with a French-style linen slip. The work was initialed by the artist in the lower right hand corner however their identity remains a mystery. Upon request a video of the piece will be provided. 

Dimensions with Frame:

H 58.3 cm / 23"

W 67 cm / 26.4"

Dimensions without Frame:

H 46 cm / 18.1"

W 55 cm / 21.7"