François Auguste Ravier (1814–1895), The Farms Of Varsin, Near Morestel

Watercolour and gouache on paper. 22 × 31 cm. Signed lower right. Circa 1870–1875.

In this work, François Auguste Ravier composes a rural scene: a cluster of thatched cottages and farm buildings in the foreground, set at the edge of a wood or small copse. After comparison with other works by the artist, we can determine that these are the farms of Varsin near Morestel.
Ravier worked extensively in the Morestel region and influenced several landscape painters of the Lyon school. The gouache reinforces the opaque areas (roofs, masses of buildings), while the watercolour creates subtle washes for the atmosphere and the distant planes.

This sheet beautifully illustrates his taste for small, delicate studies painted from life, where colour and brushwork serve direct observation. The backgrounds and open-air zones are laid in broad translucent washes, very lightly modulated. On the buildings, tree trunks and edges of the woodland, he strengthens the forms with opaque, almost matte touches.

Ravier had a particular way of letting the grain of the paper show through, using it as a pictorial element. Dry areas reveal the paper, producing a slight shimmering effect. This active grain contributes to the atmosphere, especially in the passages of earth and vegetation.

The palette remains restrained: earth tones, ochres and softened greens, with firmer accents on the roofs and trunks to create depth. The drawing is precise yet understated: fine lines and light hatching, a washed-out sky, all structuring the forms without emphasis and giving the whole a feeling of rural calm and attentive observation of light.

Note: This watercolour may be compared to the one held at the Petit Palais (31.7 × 38.9 cm, inv. no. PPD774).

We thank Mrs Christine Boyer Thiollier for confirming the authenticity of this work and for the information she kindly provided.

Although living a retired life in Morestel, Auguste Ravier remained closely connected with the painters of his time. He maintained extensive correspondence with his contemporaries and hosted many artists during their travels in Italy. Several painter friends even settled near him in the surroundings of Morestel. Recognised by his peers, Ravier nonetheless exhibited very little during his lifetime. His reluctance to face criticism, combined with financial security, led him to remain apart from salons and exhibitions, with only rare exceptions.

Public collectionsFrance: Paris, Musée d’Orsay; Paris, Musée du Louvre; Aix-les-Bains, Musée Faure; Lyon, Musée des Beaux-Arts; Morestel, Maison Ravier; Brest, Musée des Beaux-Arts; Grenoble, Musée de Grenoble; Marseille, Musée Cantini; Reims, Musée des Beaux-Arts; Toulon, Musée d’Art…United States: Cleveland Museum of Art; Washington, National Gallery of Art…United Kingdom: Cambridge, Fitzwilliam Museum…