Charles Donzel (1824–1889) Riverbanks Of The Sologne. Creuse, Limousin. School Of Crozant, Corot

A new work by Charles Donzel—this time a beautiful watercolor depicting a riverside scene, signed and inscribed “Sologne” in the lower left corner
Size of the watercolor alone (unframed): 14x22 cm; 33x40 cm including the frame
The watercolor is in perfect original condition and comes in its original gilt frame, which has been regilded in places.
Authenticity guaranteed.

This is, therefore, a new watercolor by Charles Donzel, as always executed with great mastery—nearly perfect in terms of technique—which is only to be expected, since Donzel is first and foremost recognized and regarded as a great watercolorist; and it is indeed through this medium that he earned his reputation, even though he was also an excellent oil painter.
Riverbanks held a particular fascination for the artist; they made up the vast majority of his subjects. 
Charles Marie Donzel was the son of François Donzel and Henriette Aubertin.
Charles Donzel studied music and sculpture before turning to painting. He graduated from the Paris Conservatory of Music in 1855.
After his wife’s death, he turned his attention to drawing and painting. He exhibited for the first time as early as 1859. Beginning in 1860, he frequently stayed in the Creuse Valley, particularly in Crozant and Haute-Vienne in the company of Camille Corot, and depicted the landscapes there in his paintings. Around 1875, he even created a series of high-fire decorative designs for the Pouyat factory in Limoges, notably plates that are highly sought after by collectors. He is said to have been the first to coine the term “Crozant School”; in any case, he was one of its pioneers.
Illustration for Gaston Leroux’s novel Balaoo by Jules Donzel, based on a watercolor by his father.
Hedied on March 20, 1889, in Paris. His brother Marie Antoine Henri Donzel, a captain, and Paul Lecomte served as witnesses to his death at the civil registry office. He was buried in Paris at the Père-Lachaise Cemetery on March 22, 1889.
Hewas the father of the painter Jules Donzel (1865–1927), who drew inspiration from some of his father’s watercolors to illustrate books.
Today, many of his works can be admired in French museums, including the Louvre and the Musée d’Orsay, as well as in Nemours, Limoges, Guêret, and elsewhere...