It was a French fiesta as French artist Henri Landier’s work was presented in India for the first time. With numerous paintings of the 90-year-old artist on display, art admirers celebrated his art as the artist joined them through video, as he could not travel to India.
Henri Landier, a distinguished painter and engraver, follows the traditions of great masters like Courbet and Van Gogh. Landier still continues to paint every single day in his studio.
The daughter of the artist Sabine Ermakoff, who was in the city at the inaugural event, walked the guests through the exhibition to explain what each painting of Landier signifies. “I am proud to be invited and present my work in Delhi. I have been working for my father for the last 25 years. I have a four-person team. Presenting his work in different countries gives me immense joy. His vision of life is poetic. He Looks through the eyes of a child who discovers things.
Chief guest Dr Alka Pande, art historian, curator, author says that her exhibition of the Kamasutra in Paris in 2014 was another such instance of a cross-cultural exchange between France and India.
Thierry Mathou, Ambassador of France to India inaugurated the exhibition while also shaking a leg and singing along with artists performing French songs. The collection features Landier’s most recent works, previously displayed in Paris in May and June 2023, as well as an array of drawings, etchings, watercolours, and oil paintings covering the last seven decades. His body of work consists of over 4000 paintings and 2000 engravings.
His art collection on display includes “Julien and his Violin in the Paris Sky,” “Pierrot the Rose,” a busker with his barrel organ, the actress “Françoise and her Beret,” his neighbour “Léa and her Cat,” and several self-portraits, including a luminous depiction of the thoughtful artist holding his palette and brush. Through the exhibition, Landier’s works depict the changing seasons, from the iconic Parisian scenes of Montmartre and the sunlit Provence to the majestic Sainte-Victoire mountain, and the serene beauty of Brittany.
The exhibition richly represents French culture, capturing everyday scenes such as street cafés, weddings, children leaving school, village squares, old churches, and popular festivals. These vibrant recreations on canvas are heartfelt odes to Paris, where Landier hails from.
The exhibition titled ‘Douce France’ is presented by Alliance Française de Delhi for the first time in India. More than 90 original works by the renowned French artist, Henri Landier are on display till August 19. At 90 years old, Landier continues to be a prolific and dynamic figure in the art world, transitioning from darkness to light through his portrayals of Parisian streets and French landscapes and seascapes.
