Ballue: Barbizon landscape with lone figure, 1891

A wonderful rural scene of a woman walking at sunset in a wide landscape, imbued with almost magical light. It is a work by French artist Pierre-Ernest Ballue, who had studied painting with the Masters  Alexandre Defaux, Émile Charles Dameron , and notably, Camille Corot. 
Ballue was a regular exhibitor at the Salon and was awarded several medals. In 1886, he was one of the artists who accompanied Auguste Bartholdi to the United States, to celebrate the inauguration of the Statue of Liberty.
Ballue painted in numerous regions of France, but our very interesting and relatively early work was most likely created near Barbizon and the forest of Fontainebleau. It is dated 1891, and interestingly, another work by Ballue in the Museum of Tours dates from the same year! Works by the artist are also in the collections of the Louvre and in the Musée Bertrand. 
Our oil on panel is signed and dated at the lower right. The panel without the frame measures 21.5 x 41 cm.