Landscape before the storm

A small picture, painted using oil on wood technique. It shows the view of a seaside area before an approaching storm, with staffage of small human figures. The colour palette of the painting is dark, grey-yellow-brown; stormy clouds, nearly black, are gathered on the right side, the silhouettes of trees bend in the strong wind. The sky on the left side of the painting is lighter, brightened above the tower of the church, where the storm clouds have not yet reached. On the shore sloping towards the bay are village buildings with a church with a high tower, topped with a spire. There are trees between the buildings. In the right corner of the painting is a ship floating on the water, its sails unfurled, sharply tilted under the force of the wind, heading towards the shore to take shelter from the oncoming storm. The mood of the painting is dark and ominous, which is emphasised by the colour palette and the nearly completely dark right side of the picture, covered with storm clouds. Unfortunately, we do not know the name of the painter. The painting comes from about mid-19th century and is maintained in the Romantic style. It is framed in a wide, profiled wooden frame, gilded and decorated with a Lesbian cymatium and ox eyes. It is displayed in the Billiards Salon on the first floor of the Łańcut castle.