Printemps fleuri, Henri HÉLIS (Romorantin, Loir et Cher, 1872- Paris, 1945)
Huile sur carton, cachet d’atelier au dos
Dimensions sans cadre 48×35 cm
Dimensions avec cadre 66×52 cm

“Monsieur Hélis is a talented landscaper, expert in noting the reflections of dawn on ponds like the luminous light of a Parisian evening” wrote Critic Gustave Khan in Le Quotidien, January 25, 1924

Henri Helis lived in Paris from 1900 until his death, and was a loyal artist of the Parisian Salons for more than 30 years. He settled on rue Vavin in Paris in 1892 and participated to evening classes at the École Nationale des Arts Décoratifs. His master teacher was Auguste Allongé, famous for charcoal drawings around the École de Barbizon. He also worked to organize Salons and strongly supported the other artists. In 1903, he founded with artists Jourdain, Paul Cézanne, Paul Signac and Hector Guimard the Société du Salon d’Automne.
From the impressionist period, he took advantage of plein air and painted on the motif.

It is therefore a question of placing this painter who worked quietly, quietly following his path in perspective in his time, a flourishing period in the history of art. Henri rubbed shoulders with the avant-garde of paintings ; without being subservient to any movement, he nevertheless took an interested look at contemporary creation. Focused on the outdoor landscape, Hélis knew how to vibrating the light and invited us to contemplate nature, from his native Sologne to Parisian landscapes, via Belgium and Brittany, finding his inspiration in his travels.

The museum of Romorantin, named Le Musée de Sologne, helds his work. A public  retrospective took place in 2023 with more than 70 paintings and pastels.

In our painting, Henri Helis captures in a shimmering palette the blossoms of the spring season on a path of an orchard of apple trees. The painting is generous and energetic, quickly brushed, and gives to the canvas an impression of great spontaneity. The artist gives pride of place to the trees blooming with mauve and pink, treated in small fragmented touches of pure colors. More than in all the other compositions of the artist, each motif is simplified such as clouds with subtle shapes and hues and a rather free and contrasting use of color recalls the artist generation of the Fauves whose movement had developed in France in the Salon d’Automne in 1905. The seasons and luminosity always interested the artist who also represented automnal views with their flamboyant trees.