Émile Noirot (1853 -1924) Farm landscape

Oil on canvas. 44 x 31 cm. Signed lower right. 

This painting by Émile Noirot depicts a farm landscape bathed in warm summer light. On the right, a half-open barn with thick stone walls and a sloping roof immediately draws the viewer’s eye. The weathered plaster and earthy tones speak to the age of the building, while a ladder leaning against the wall adds a touch of everyday life. Inside, the shadow contrasts starkly with the brightness outside.

To the left, fields stretch toward the horizon, dotted with haystacks whose rounded forms enliven the composition. The wide, slightly clouded sky balances the dark mass of the barn and adds depth to the scene. Noirot applies a thick, expressive impasto, reminiscent of the Impressionist aesthetic, favoring texture and light effects over meticulous detail. The color palette, dominated by ochres, browns, and greens, reinforces the earthy, grounded nature of the subject.

The overall atmosphere is peaceful, both humble and authentic, in keeping with Noirot’s sensitivity to rural scenes from the Roanne region.

Émile Noirot was the student of his father Louis Noirot, then of François Louis Français, Charles Daubigny and Alexandre Cabanel. He took courses at the Académie Julian in Paris and attended the workshop of sculptor Emmanuel Frémiet. He was also advised by Auguste Ravier and was appointed painter to the Ministry of the Navy.

He left Paris and the forest of Fontainebleau in 1881 and became an enthusiastic pioneer of art in the Roanne region.

His compositions are appreciated for their technique and the feeling they express, whether it is the peaceful landscapes of the Loire Valley, the mountains of Auvergne or Savoie, the sunlight in the forest of Fontainebleau , colorful Mediterranean scenes, wild maritime coasts or curiosities of Italy. His works are present in many buildings in the Roanne region.

He exhibited at the Paris Salon, then at the Salon des artistes français from 1889. He also exhibited in Saint Petersburg, London, Brussels, Venice, Chicago, Antwerp, Mulhouse, etc.

He obtained a distinction at the Universal Exhibition of 1889, a third place medal in 1891, a first class medal in 1893 and a bronze medal at the Universal Exhibition of 1900. He was made a Knight of the Legion of Honor in 1902.

Émile Noirot is represented in the collections of several museums, including the Fine Arts Museums of Lyon, Toulon, and Roanne, as well as the Musée d'Orsay.