Studio: international art (13.1898)

Henri Harpignies

It was when upon a visit to the Rougier family

at tin-('bateau de Montais, near the forest of Tron-
cais, that Harpignies first saw the splendid possi-
bilities which Harrison, with its ample valleys, its
mountain streams, its charming woodland scenery,
presented to the landscape painter. One day when
out riding he came suddenly upon that part of the
forest known as La Bouteille. Fastening his horse
to a tree, he started upon a journey of exploration
among the rocks and might}- oaks, which are more
majestic even than those to be found in the Forest
of Fontainebleau. Almost at every turn Harpignies
was enchanted: here, indeed, was a veritable artist's

which Harpignies made during these years an- of
great interest and value to students, and I would
that every lover of Nature had the opportunity of
going through his voluminous portfolios.

And what Harpignies has done for He'rrison he-
has done for Saint-1'rive, in the department of the
Yonne, where he purchased an estate in 1879, such
he has done for St. Ce'nery, in the suburbs of
Alencon, and for the Bourg district. For the past
twenty-five years he has sent two pictures to the
Salon annually, his subjects being taken from some
of the most picturesque places in France. His prin-
cipal works have been Soir sur les bords de la Loire;

> y^S* ^ - , r .

FROM A WASH DRAWING BY HENRI HARPIGNIES

Paradise. He decided there and then to return in
the following year. It was in July that he paid his
seei >nd visit to Hcrrison, and he was amply rewarded.
Many are the picturesque sights in the forest wrhich
he may be said to have discovered, such as the
marvellous Saut-du-Loup, which he made the sub-
ject tor one of his best-known pictures. The out-
break of tin- Franco-German War unfortunately
interrupted his work for a whole year. However,
after carrying arms in the Garde Nationale, he
returned to his work at He'rrison, and year after
year, until 1 <S7c;, he continued to visit the district,
his pencil gaining in power, his facult) of selection
•becoming more and more acute. The sketches
148

Rives de la Loire, 1861 ; Le Soir, 1S66, a work of
great power; Le Saut-du-Loup, 1873, regarded by
many as his chief masterpiece ; Chhies de Chatcau-
Renard, 1875 > Victitne de P Hirer, Vallee du Loing
d Saint-Privi) 1881 ; La Loire, 1882 ; and Vue de
Saiut-Privc, 1883.

It has always been a matter of surprise to me
that Harpignies' work has not become better known
in En<zland, where many that might have been ex-
pected to be well acquainted with the pictures ot
the veteran artist have shown themselves to be
almost ignorant of his name. There are, however,
a few collectors of his work, and among these may
be mentioned Sir John hay, Mr. James Staats