Esquisse pour la salle des fêtes de la mairie d'Asnières : Paysage de sous-bois

Esquisse pour la salle des fêtes de la mairie d'Asnières: Paysage de sous-bois is one of Paul Schmitt's preparatory studies for the decoration of the town hall of Asnières-sur-Seine, northwest of Paris. This sketch shows a woodland undergrowth scene — a type of decorative landscape common in mairie decoration schemes that invoked the natural world as a counterpart to the civic allegories in other panels. The Asnières project was a substantial commission, and the several surviving sketches at the Petit Palais document Schmitt's methodical approach to preparing large-scale decorative work.

The undergrowth is rendered with loose, feathery strokes that suggest foliage and filtered light. The palette is green-dominated with warm ochre passages where light penetrates the canopy. The sketch is freely handled, exploring mood and composition rather than detailed description.