Face in the Clouds (attributed), Landré (active 20th c.), c.1970s, oil on canvas, 24×30 in, signed.
A luminous surreal oil on canvas depicting a floating female face emerging from golden clouds against a soft blue sky—signed Landré, 24×30 inches, mid-to-late 20th century, atmospheric figurative dreamscape.
Artwork Description
This ethereal composition presents a softly modeled female face suspended within radiant cloud formations. The subject’s gaze is upward and contemplative, her expression serene yet searching. Warm ochres, pale apricots, and creamy highlights swirl around her features, dissolving into a tranquil blue sky. The painting balances realism and fantasy, rendering the eyes and facial structure with classical precision while allowing the surrounding clouds to remain fluid and atmospheric.
The surface and edge structure confirm the work is oil on canvas. The pigment layering, subtle blending, and soft glazing effects visible along the edges are consistent with oil technique rather than pastel or dry media. The paint handling suggests controlled brushwork with delicate scumbling and feathered transitions, producing a velvety, luminous effect.
Stylistically, the work aligns with poetic or romantic surrealism of the 1960s–1980s—a movement that favored dream imagery, floating forms, and psychological symbolism over stark or confrontational surrealist themes. The composition evokes themes of transcendence, introspection, and the merging of identity with nature. The signature “Landré” appears lower right.
Artist Biography
Landré (active 20th century) is an attributed painter whose work reflects a refined figurative foundation combined with a lyrical surrealist vision. While the surname “Landré” appears in earlier European art records, the stylistic character of this oil painting—romantic, dreamlike, and psychologically expressive—indicates a later 20th-century artist working within a poetic surrealist tradition.
The artist demonstrates formal training in representational portraiture, evidenced by the careful modeling of facial planes, proportion, and light. At the same time, Landré departs from strict realism, dissolving the subject into atmosphere and symbolic space. This synthesis of classical technique and imaginative imagery places the artist within a broader mid-century lineage of figurative surrealism and visionary art.
The controlled glazing and tonal harmony seen in this work suggest technical confidence and experience with oil as a primary medium. Though comprehensive archival documentation remains limited, the painting reveals a mature artistic voice—one grounded in academic skill yet oriented toward introspective, dreamlike expression.
Further research may clarify the artist’s full identity and exhibition history; however, the work itself stands as a strong example of late-20th-century surreal figurative oil painting.
Landré (attributed, active 20th century)
Face in the Clouds (attributed), c.1970s
Oil on canvas; signed lower right
24 × 30 inches (61 × 76 cm)
Surreal figurative portrait emerging from luminous cloudscape.
Certificate of Authentication
Artist: Landré (attributed; active 20th century)
Title: Face in the Clouds (attributed)
Date: c.1970s (approximate)
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 24 × 30 inches
Signature: Signed “Landré” lower right
Edition: Unique original painting
Provenance:
Acquired from Mitch Morse Gallery, New York City.
Mitch Morse Gallery sourced works in NYC, United States and Europe.
Current owner: Artfind Gallery, Washington, DC.
Condition
Overall very good vintage condition consistent with age. Minor edge wear and light surface marks visible. Canvas structurally sound with no visible punctures or repairs from provided images. No major craquelure or paint loss observed. A professional in-person condition report is recommended for formal appraisal.
Provenance Chain (Collector Format)
Artfind Gallery, Washington, DC (current owner)
Mitch Morse Gallery, New York City
Acquired by Mitch Morse Gallery through purchases in New York City, United States and Europe
Face in the Clouds (attributed), Landré (active 20th c.), c.1970s, oil on canvas, 24×30 in, signed.
A luminous surreal oil on canvas depicting a floating female face emerging from golden clouds against a soft blue sky—signed Landré, 24×30 inches, mid-to-late 20th century, atmospheric figurative dreamscape.
Artwork Description
This ethereal composition presents a softly modeled female face suspended within radiant cloud formations. The subject’s gaze is upward and contemplative, her expression serene yet searching. Warm ochres, pale apricots, and creamy highlights swirl around her features, dissolving into a tranquil blue sky. The painting balances realism and fantasy, rendering the eyes and facial structure with classical precision while allowing the surrounding clouds to remain fluid and atmospheric.
The surface and edge structure confirm the work is oil on canvas. The pigment layering, subtle blending, and soft glazing effects visible along the edges are consistent with oil technique rather than pastel or dry media. The paint handling suggests controlled brushwork with delicate scumbling and feathered transitions, producing a velvety, luminous effect.
Stylistically, the work aligns with poetic or romantic surrealism of the 1960s–1980s—a movement that favored dream imagery, floating forms, and psychological symbolism over stark or confrontational surrealist themes. The composition evokes themes of transcendence, introspection, and the merging of identity with nature. The signature “Landré” appears lower right.
Artist Biography
Landré (active 20th century) is an attributed painter whose work reflects a refined figurative foundation combined with a lyrical surrealist vision. While the surname “Landré” appears in earlier European art records, the stylistic character of this oil painting—romantic, dreamlike, and psychologically expressive—indicates a later 20th-century artist working within a poetic surrealist tradition.
The artist demonstrates formal training in representational portraiture, evidenced by the careful modeling of facial planes, proportion, and light. At the same time, Landré departs from strict realism, dissolving the subject into atmosphere and symbolic space. This synthesis of classical technique and imaginative imagery places the artist within a broader mid-century lineage of figurative surrealism and visionary art.
The controlled glazing and tonal harmony seen in this work suggest technical confidence and experience with oil as a primary medium. Though comprehensive archival documentation remains limited, the painting reveals a mature artistic voice—one grounded in academic skill yet oriented toward introspective, dreamlike expression.
Further research may clarify the artist’s full identity and exhibition history; however, the work itself stands as a strong example of late-20th-century surreal figurative oil painting.
Landré (attributed, active 20th century)
Face in the Clouds (attributed), c.1970s
Oil on canvas; signed lower right
24 × 30 inches (61 × 76 cm)
Surreal figurative portrait emerging from luminous cloudscape.
Certificate of Authentication
Artist: Landré (attributed; active 20th century)
Title: Face in the Clouds (attributed)
Date: c.1970s (approximate)
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 24 × 30 inches
Signature: Signed “Landré” lower right
Edition: Unique original painting
Provenance:
Acquired from Mitch Morse Gallery, New York City.
Mitch Morse Gallery sourced works in NYC, United States and Europe.
Current owner: Artfind Gallery, Washington, DC.
Condition
Overall very good vintage condition consistent with age. Minor edge wear and light surface marks visible. Canvas structurally sound with no visible punctures or repairs from provided images. No major craquelure or paint loss observed. A professional in-person condition report is recommended for formal appraisal.
Provenance Chain (Collector Format)
Artfind Gallery, Washington, DC (current owner)
Mitch Morse Gallery, New York City
Acquired by Mitch Morse Gallery through purchases in New York City, United States and Europe
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