Henri-Joseph Harpignies
Valenciennes 1819 – Saint Privé 1916
View of a River
Watercolor.
Signed and dated h f Harpignies 94 with pen and brown ink lower left and inscribed Les Loups lower right. Inscribed Sur les bords de la Loire au Hameau du Loups près Bonny sur Loire with pen and brown ink, on the verso. Framing indications with pencil on the verso.
176 x 252 mm – 6 15/16 x 9 15/16 in.
A pupil of Jean Achard in Paris, Harpignies travelled to Italy several time, and particularly with his great friend Corot in 1860. A prolific painter, draughtsman and watercolorist, he was mainly interested in landscape and became close to the Barbizon painters. Harpignies also travelled in France, particularly near the river Loire, in the departments of Nièvre and Loiret. It is in the latter that he executed this watercolor, in the hamlet of Les Loups which used to be the port of Bonny sur Loire and was regularly visited by artists in the 19th century. It is nowadays located in a protected natural area.
Condition report – Perfect condition.
