Henri Laigneau

About the Painting

This 1912 impressionist oil painting presents a rural farmstead illuminated by the fading golden light of sunset. The composition captures rustic buildings cast in shadow against a softly glowing sky, rendered in harmonious hues of blue, green, and amber. The textured surface and dappled brushwork suggest a Pointillist influence, revealing Laigneau's sensitivity to light and color.

The painting reflects Laigneau's fascination with natural light and quiet countryside scenes, particularly around his native Rambouillet region. His structured approach to composition and refined use of pigment create a sense of tranquility and timelessness, characteristic of his mature work during the 1910s when he was actively exhibiting at the Salon des Indépendants.

Signed and dated in the lower right corner, this oil on canvas remains in very good condition and is housed in a silver-plated wood frame. The work represents Laigneau's synthesis of Impressionist and Pointillist techniques during the height of his career.

About the Artist

Henri Édouard Laigneau (1863-1947) was a French painter known for his landscapes and portraits that combined Impressionist color sensitivity with Pointillist technique. Born on August 24, 1863, in Rambouillet, France, Laigneau studied in Paris at the Académie Colarossi and took anatomy classes at the École des Beaux-Arts, receiving a thorough academic training in drawing and composition.

Laigneau was a frequent exhibitor throughout his career, participating in the official Salon from 1899. From 1910 onward, he exhibited at the more avant-garde Salon de la Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts and the Salon des Indépendants, aligning himself with progressive artistic movements while maintaining his commitment to careful craftsmanship and naturalistic observation.

His style was shaped by the Pointillist techniques of Camille Pissarro and the color sensitivity of Pierre Bonnard, though he developed his own distinctive approach that emphasized rigorous drawing, careful construction, and chromatic richness. Laigneau focused primarily on landscapes and portraits, finding his subjects in the countryside around Rambouillet and the surrounding Île-de-France region.

Throughout his life, Laigneau remained deeply connected to his native region, living in Rambouillet until his death in 1947. His commitment to depicting the French countryside with both technical precision and atmospheric sensitivity resulted in a substantial body of work that documents rural France during the early 20th century.

Today, several of Laigneau's paintings are held in public collections in Niort, Rambouillet, and Nancy, ensuring his legacy as an important regional artist who bridged Impressionism and Pointillism during a transformative period in French art.

Technical Details

Artist: Henri Laigneau (1863-1947)
Signed: Lower right corner, dated 1912
Date: 1912
Medium: Oil on canvas
Condition: Very good condition
Dimensions: 38 x 46 cm / 15 x 18 in
Frame: 52 x 60 cm / 20½ x 23½ in, silver-plated wood, very good condition
Origin: France

An impressionist landscape by a Salon des Indépendants exhibitor and Académie Colarossi student.