Impressionist Sailing Boats in a Coastal Harbour – Signed Armengol

Description
Signed Armengol, this textured painting depicts sailing boats and a foreground rowing boat on turquoise harbour waters, with waterfront buildings and dark hills beyond. Broad, directional brushstrokes establish the surrounding landscape, while shorter touches of cream, green and mauve suggest broken reflections across the water. White sails contrast with red hulls and smaller striped sails in yellow, blue and scarlet, giving the composition a lively rhythm. Simplified forms and expressive colour suggest a modern coastal painting tradition, balancing recognisable detail with an emphasis on surface and composition. Its maritime subject and varied greens offer a distinctive focal point for both traditional and contemporary rooms.

Artist
Signed Armengol; the artist’s full identity and birth year are presently unconfirmed.

Artist Details
The painter uses broad strokes, simplified boat shapes and contrasting warm and cool colours to construct the harbour scene. The inscription beneath the signature appears to read “73”, although the date and location require confirmation.

Movements
Modern figurative painting with Post-Impressionist and colourist affinities.

Artist Influenced by
Stylistic comparisons include Christopher Wood for simplified coastal forms associated with St Ives; Francis Cadell for crisp sails and cool Scottish coastal colours; Samuel John Peploe for structured brushwork and contrasting colour; and Raoul Dufy for lively French harbour scenes and brightly accented boats. These similarities do not establish direct influence.

Frame Condition
Housed in an ornate dark frame with gilt highlights and a pale inner slip, showing visible finish losses, chips and cracks, particularly along the upper moulding.