Code: 7001
Dimensions:
A beautiful signed and dated 1943 naive oil on panel depicting the picturesque village of Pry, in the province of Namur, Wallonia, Belgium, by Robert Marchal.
A superb original depiction of the charming Walloon village of of only 524 people, with the 17th century Église Sainte-Remfroid above the houses. The work is even more interesting as it was painted at the height of WW2, a time when resistance to the Nazi occupation was building in the region.
Signed and dated lower right and presented in a fine gilded carved wood frame.
Artist: Robert Marchal (Belgian, 20th century)
Title: Pry
Medium: Oil on panel
Size: 20.5 x 24 inches (52 x 62 cm) including the frame
Pry is a small, rural village and section of the municipality of Walcourt, located in the Namur province of Wallonia, Belgium. The village spans an area of roughly 6.9 square kilometres and is home to a quiet community of approximately 524 residents.
Historically, its economy was driven by agriculture—such as sheep rearing and spelt cultivation - alongside local limestone and marble quarries powered by the local river.
Today, Pry is a peaceful residential area known for its scenic limestone countryside and the Garth de Pry railway station on Line 132 connecting Charleroi to Couvin. Its cultural landscape is anchored by the 17th-century Église Sainte-Remfroid and the traditional Marche Sainte-Remfroid, an annual folkloric military march that takes place every May.
During World War II, the village of Pry, the municipality of Walcourt, and the broader Wallonia region experienced severe fighting, harsh occupation, and historic liberation campaigns.
Due to its dense forests and industrial valleys, Wallonia became a hotbed for the Belgian Resistance. Local groups engaged in sabotage, gathered intelligence, and hid downed Allied pilots.
