Neoclassical landscape circa 1800 - Workshop Henri de Valenciennes (1750 to 1819)

Henri de Valenciennes (1750 to 1819) Workshop. Neoclassical landscape circa 1800. Roman countryside. End of the 18th, beginning of the 19th century.

Original canvas 59 cm by 40 cm
Old frame 70 cm by 53 cm
Traces of signature (illegible)

The neoclassical landscape of the 18th and early 19th centuries was characterized by an idealized approach and aesthetics inspired by the classical ideals of Antiquity but also by real landscapes often in Italy, especially around Rome where French painters liked to meet during their Grand Tour. The castle or fortified village that we see on our table certainly exists. This pictorial movement follows another older return to the antique initiated in the 17th century and at the beginning of the 18th with Poussin (1594, 1665) Le Lorrain (1600, 1682), Allegrain (1644, 1736) …

Henri de Valenciennes (1750 to 1819)

Henri de Valenciennes, a French painter who lived from 1750 to 1819. Pierre-Henri de Valenciennes was an influential figure in the development of landscape painting in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Valenciennes was born in Toulouse, France, and studied at the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture in Paris. He was known for his attachment to the principles of classical landscape painting, notably inspired by the works of Nicolas Poussin and Claude Lorrain. Valenciennes emphasized the importance of direct observation and the study of nature. He encouraged artists to paint en plein air, capturing the effects of light, atmosphere, and natural forms. Valenciennes believed that landscape painting should not simply be an imitation of nature, but an idealized interpretation that conveyed the emotions and poetic sensibility of the artist. His influential book, "Elements of Practical Perspective Applied to Landscape Painting", published in 1800, set out his theories and methods for creating compelling and aesthetically pleasing landscapes. Valenciennes' works often depicted classical ruins, pastoral scenes, and coastal views. His landscapes were characterized by a strong sense of depth, atmospheric perspective, and painstaking attention to detail. His students accompanied him in his work and enriched this neoclassical current with in particular Jean Victor Bertin (1767, 1842) The two painters had a very important workshop production