Post-impressionist painting, Oil on Canvas signed Still Life 1929

Hello, I am offering a stretched oil on canvas of original provenance on thick cardboard signed P. DUCAEL or something similar, dated 1929. This strikingly realistic still life depicts a coarsely woven wicker basket overturned on a table, spilling a cascade of wild strawberries. This oil on cardboard is part of the great naturalist tradition of the 19th century and evokes the aesthetics of French schools inspired by the Dutch Golden Age for its theatrical use of candlelight. Frame dimensions: 40 X 30 cm. Artwork dimensions: 33 X 24 cm. The oil on canvas is in very good condition, cleaned with its period oak frame that has been restored. This still life, laden with numerous symbols, demonstrates the research and artistic quality of this work: The wild strawberries represent temptation and the fragility of life due to their highly perishable nature. They are also associated with purity and the ephemeral sweetness of nature. The overturned wicker basket evokes interrupted abundance, the passage of time, and vulnerability in the face of the whims of fate, materialised in this work by the spilling contents. The aged and worn linen tablecloth represents the passage of time and domestic memory, the humility of simple things, and the patina of generations. The wood of the table embodies stability, home, and earthly grounding in the face of the impermanence of the fruits. This ancient work captivates with its textured realism and mastery of chiaroscuro, perpetuating the spirit of classical still lifes. Carried by an enigmatic signature and beautiful artistic quality, it embodies an accessible piece of charm. It elegantly testifies to a pictorial know-how. The work evokes the realistic and post-academic style of the late 19th century. It borrows from naturalism its appreciation for everyday objects, the raw texture of materials (wicker, worn linen, wrinkled fruits), and the refusal of idealisation.