Henri Joseph Harpignies, gouache from 1912. Gilded wood frame

WATERCOLOR by the famous artist Henri Joseph Harpignies. Size with frame 52 centimeters by 36.5 centimeters. Painting alone size 23 centimeters by 33 centimeters. Biography of the artist. "The Michelangelo of trees and peaceful countryside" Anatole France. Henri Joseph Harpignies born in Valenciennes (north) is a French landscape painter, watercolorist and engraver of the Barbizon school. He entered the studio of Jean Achard in Paris in 1846. Henri Harpignies devoted himself to children's bambochades in a landscape environment and joined Corot and the Barbizon school who would inspire him. In 1859, he collaborated on the decoration of the staff room of the Charité hospital in Paris, partially rebuilt at the Musée de l'Assistance Publique - Hôpitals de Paris. During his very long career, Henri Harpignies painted a large number of hedgehog works in the Bourbonnais, as well as in the Nivernais and Auvergne. He produced decorative works for the Paris Opera, including the Val d'Égrie panel, which he exhibited at the Salon in 1870. He was a friend of Léon Bonnat, who painted his portrait twice in 1889 (Museum of Fine Arts in Valenciennes and Petit Palais in Paris). He was awarded many prizes. In 1875, he was named a knight, then promoted to officer (1883), elevated to the rank of commander (1901) then grand officer (1911) of the National Order of the Legion of Honour.