Maisons Rouges à Pont-Aven – Roderic O’Conor Collector’s Edition Print

About the Artwork

Painted around 1894–95 during one of the most formative periods of his career, Maisons Rouges à Pont-Aven is a rare village scene within the Breton work of Roderic O’Conor. Unlike his more typical rural landscapes, this composition focuses on the vernacular architecture of Pont-Aven itself, with rows of red rooftops rising rhythmically up a sun-struck hillside.

Executed with lively, calligraphic brushwork, the painting conveys the immediacy of working en plein air, likely completed in one or two sittings. The entire surface—sky, foliage, and buildings—is energised by scumbling strokes and heightened local colour, evoking the oppressive heat of a midday sun. Russets, oranges, blues, and greens are deliberately intensified to heighten emotional impact rather than descriptive accuracy.

Painted while O’Conor was living and working in Pont-Aven, the work reflects his close engagement with Post-Impressionist experimentation. Although influenced by the bold chromatic language of contemporaries such as Paul Gauguin, O’Conor resisted synthetist flatness and firm outlining, instead maintaining a more expressive, painterly approach rooted in his own artistic principles.

Subtle traces of his earlier Van Gogh–inspired ‘striping’ technique remain visible in the sky and rooftops, underscoring his independence of vision. Maisons Rouges à Pont-Aven stands as a confident statement of O’Conor’s mature style—bridging Irish modernism with continental Post-Impressionism while remaining unmistakably his own.

Collector’s Edition Materials & Framing

This Collector’s Edition print is produced on Master’s Edition museum-quality paper—an off-white, uncoated, archival stock chosen for its natural texture and exceptional tonal depth. The paper is 250 gsm (110 lb) with a thickness of 0.29 mm (11.4 mils), providing a substantial, gallery-grade feel while remaining faithful to the character of the original artwork.

Framed editions are presented in ready-to-hang premium wooden frames crafted from responsibly sourced oak or ash, each with a unique natural grain. Frames measure 20 mm (0.79″) in both width and depth—substantially wider than standard frames—and are glazed with shatterproof plexiglass for protection. All materials used are FSC-certified or equivalent, ensuring museum standards of longevity and sustainability.

About the Artist

Roderic O’Conor (1860–1940) was one of Ireland’s most important early modern painters and a central figure in the Pont-Aven circle. Working primarily in France during the 1890s, he developed a distinctive expressive language that bridged Irish modernism and continental Post-Impressionism. His work is held in major public and private collections and is widely regarded as foundational to the story of Irish modern art.