Henri Rivière (1864 - 1951)

As a student of Bin, he learns the different techniques of engraving, especially the intaglio, and executes etchings from 1884. In Paris, he was one of the most active artists at the Chat Noir cabaret. An advocate of Japanese art, he learns wood engraving. From then on, he combined an off-centre layout, solid colours and synthetic silhouettes in his works. Henri Rivière is most famous for his colour representations of the landscapes of Brittany, which he exhibited in 1892 at the Société des peintres-graveurs. His prints, whether lithographs or xylographs, express the harsh nature of Brittany and its austere customs, detailing the variations of light and climate with great poetry. La Féerie des heures, Paysages bretons and Beau Pays de Bretagne are among his most famous series. His work was exhibited in 1985 at the Musée d'Orsay, Paris.