HENRY-JOSEPH HARPIGNIES (FRENCH 1819-1916)

A circular landscape, surrounded by oriental lanterns and motifs

signed and dated h. harpignies in grey ink (lower right)

watercolour, pen and grey ink and grey wash

19.4 x 11.6 cm (7 5/8 x 4 5/8 in) unframed

Harpignies exhibited his first watercolour landscapes at the Salon of 1864, where they were praised by the critic ThéophileThoré. The freshness and luminosity of his use of the medium soon gained him a wide audience, spreading as far as England where he was invited by Whistler to exhibit at the Royal Institute in London. The present work is unusual among his drawings in its use of Oriental motifs.