Henri Riviere and Paris

Wouldn’t I rather be in Paris, thought Henri Rivière as summer would turn to fall? The master color printmaker, whose color woodcuts and color lithographs are often synonymous with Bretagne, was born, raised, and bred in the French capital. It is easy to forget that before he started to spend whole summers in Brittany, Henri Rivière was a kid used to cobblestones, whose “seascapes” were those he had experienced overlooking the river Seine.  Surely, as he and his young wife would be wrapping up their annual summer vacation in Loguivy, they would be looking forward to getting back to the capital and its scenic streets, their comfortable apartment, culture, as well as friends and family.

In this selection, we feature 17 views of the City of Lights by Henri Rivière. It is easy to see that in these lithographs the artist first and foremost shows his love for the water, and his appeal for the raking light at the start and the end of each day. Considering Rivière had likely commuted to the Chat Noir cabaret at the end of many a day, it is not surprising to see him develop an affection for dusk in the city. And you may soon as well.

Henri Riviere - Paysages Parisiens - Quai d'Austerlitz - detail
$1,500

Quai d’Austerlitz

RIVIERE, Henri

Lithograph printed in 12 colors on smooth wove paper.Reference: Fields page 77.Plate 3 from the series “Payages Parisiens”.Printed & published ...

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