Figure In A Wooded Path, By Henri Harpignies (1819–1916)

Charcoal on laid paper; signed and dated “1910” in the lower left corner; view size 13.9 x 10.4 cm

Henri Harpignies was a landscape painter of the Barbizon School. Influenced in his work by Camille Corot, he traveled with Corot to Italy in 1860. His painting *Evening in the Roman Countryside* earned him his first medal at the Salon in 1866 and was acquired by the government. Henri Harpignies painted a large number of works inspired by the landscapes of the Bourbonnais, the Nivernais, and the Auvergne. Anatole France described him as “the Michelangelo of trees and peaceful countryside.”

In the drawing presented here, the figure is barely visible and seems to be present only to emphasize the slender grace of the tall trees. The trunks with their scalloped shapes, the sky with its sharp contrasts, the dichotomy between the dark foliage and the clear patch of sky, the contrast between the leafy masses and the slender trunks, and the movement of the grasses—all lend a sense of dynamism to the scene depicted.

The drawing is sold in a mounting that includes a pH-neutral backing board, an off-white beveled mat, a sealed protective enclosure, 2 mm-thick glass, a hanging fixture, and a modern frame. If you would like to purchase the drawing without the modern frame, please contact the gallery before making your purchase.