Weinsaison des Languedoc

Material

Oil on canvas

Dating

1925-1932

About the artwork

Wine season in the Languedoc (4 out of a series of 6):
Le cultivateur, le sulfatage, la cueillette, les vendanges
Missing to complete the series: idylle und boucolique

About the artist

Henri Jean Guillaume Martin was born in 1860 in Toulouse, France. His art can be classified as Neo-Impressionism. Numerous styles were influenced by him, such as Symbolism and Primitivism. He studied at the art academy of Toulouse. His teacher there was Jules Joseph Garipuy, once a pupil of Eugène Delacroix. After his studies, many years followed in Paris, during which he was apprenticed to the famous history painter Jean-Paul Laurens. Classical and historical themes dominated his work at that time. The intensive study paid off, for only a few years later one of Henri Martin’s paintings received an award at the “Salon de Paris” art exhibition.

A study trip to Italy prompted him to fully develop his own painting style. The architecture of the south fascinated him, as did the way in which different light conditions affect the landscape. He found further inspiration in the paintings of Giotto and Massaccio. He liked to experiment without imitating. Pointillism aroused his interest, although Martin was more known for painting in parallel, short strokes. Martin’s paintings are characterised by intense contrasting colours and yet embody an unobtrusive delicacy. Southern natural landscapes, quiet forests, flowering spring gardens, romantic arbours, ecclesiastical buildings, but also mythical and biblical depictions are among his extensive repertoire. Among his works are also some self-portraits.

In 1886, he was allowed to exhibit a collection of his paintings at the Salon de Paris. He was awarded the gold medal for one of his paintings. Exhibitions in other galleries followed, as did major commissions for prestigious institutions. For example, he was commissioned to create large-scale murals for the Paris City Hall and the Capitol in Toulouse, which was his forte. Other artists belonged to his circle of acquaintances, for example, he had a friendship with the sculptor and draughtsman Auguste Rodin.

In the course of his life, Henri Martin achieved great renown, which was almost too much for him, as he was rather a shy, introverted contemporary. At some point he left Paris for good and spent a quiet existence in the seclusion of his home near Cahor in the scenic region of Occitania. Inspired by the nature that surrounded him, he created further paintings that are among his best works. He died in 1943 at the age of 83.