Marcel Pouget (1923-1985) Oil on wood panel Signed Portrait 1943

  

A true attic of sleeping artworks, "Le Musée de la Croûte" brings various anonymous or forgotten painters out of the dust. It is a window opening onto the past - shaped by the labour of artists, the emotion of colours, and the play of light. Oil on wood panel, signed and dated lower left.

Panel dimensions: 51.5 × 46 cm Frame dimensions: 70 × 65 cm. Painted in 1943 when he was only 20 years old, long before the abstract period of the 1950s-70s that established him on the French and international art scene. The painting depicts an expressive portrait of a seated man with a pipe and cap, executed in a dark, vigorous palette characteristic of Pouget's early expressionist phase. The signature and date are clearly visible.

Presented in a quality antique frame (stamped RAPHAEL Déposé with inventory number on the back), the piece has remained in a private collection. The painting is executed on an old plywood panel, consistent with the 1943 period. The panel shows a vertical through-crack as well as a slight warping. These alterations appear to be old and are likely related to the natural movement and aging of the wood over time. The crack has caused a localized opening in the paint layer, without significant loss of material.

At present, the paint layer remains generally well adhered and no active flaking or lifting is visible. The condition reflects a structural fragility of the support rather than an ongoing or progressive deterioration. Stable environmental humidity is recommended for optimal conservation. Provenance: Private collection, inventoried (numbering on the back).

Early figurative works by Marcel Pouget are rare on the market. This 1943 portrait - an authentic testimony to his first period - is a compelling acquisition for informed collectors.

Le Musée de la Croûte.