Villagers Waiting By Bread Oven

A round brick oven bulges above a stone hearth at the edge of a half-timbered village street, smoke curling from its chimney into a pale sky. The baker slides a fresh loaf in on a long wooden peel while flames flicker inside, and beside him a woman lifts baskets of crusty bread from the counter. A line of townsfolk waits patiently, each cradling a loaf wrapped in cloth or a basket balanced on an arm, their wool caps and headscarves marking a chilly market morning. Sacks of flour slump against the oven's base, and bundles of garlic, herbs, and lavender hang drying from the rafters above. Timber-framed houses with steep gables crowd the background, and a small crowd gathers further down the cobbled lane. Round loaves and baskets already sit at even intervals along the counter, ready to be sorted one at a time.