Title:
River Estuary
Creator/Contributor:
Henri-Joseph Harpignies, 1819-1916, French
Date:
1890
Identifier:
1988.9.414
Format:
Drawing
Watercolor
Notes:
Inscription: Recto, signed and dated at l.l. ("h. harpignies. 90.")
Provenance: Zeitlin and Ver Brugge, Los Angeles; Rudolf L. Baumfeld, Los Angeles
Scope and Content:
Watercolor was a favorite medium of Henri-Joseph Harpignies; with ease and spontaneity he worked directly from nature, recording
sites throughout the French countryside. In this river landscape he revealed his interest in the subtle nuances of light and
atmosphere as he rendered a specific time of day. Less detailed than his landscapes of the 1870s and 1880s, Harpignies's later
watercolors are characterized by broad, summary brushwork and an increased emphasis on patterning. His freshness, immediacy,
and delicate, transparent colors made him one of the master watercolorists of his time.
Subject:
France; landscapes (representations); riverbanks; trees