Lot n° 48
Estimation :
100 - 200
EUR
Result without fees
Result
: 100EUR
Léon Herlant (1873-1968) - 1 autochrome on Lumière plate, 8. - Lot 48
Léon Herlant (1873-1968) - 1 autochrome on Lumière plate, 8.5 x 10 cm. Rare Autochrome of a Rainbow with a View of the City of Spa, circa 1910 This photographic rarity is an exceptional autochrome, capturing a rainbow in full brilliance, with the city of Spa in the background, seen from above. A natural moment imbued with magic and fleeting beauty, its colorful richness is amplified by the revolutionary autochrome technique, which renders the vibrant nuances of the meteorological phenomenon in all its splendor.
The rainbow, majestically suspended in the sky, unfurls its colors in perfect gradation, from intense red to azure blue, with touches of gold and green delicately blending in. This spectrum of light seems to unfold between rain and sun, creating a striking contrast with the town of Spa below. The town comes into view from a bird's-eye perspective, almost blurred but nonetheless recognizable. Spa's traditional buildings and hilly landscape are bathed in soft light, tinged with the colors of the rainbow, adding an almost unreal touch to the scene.
This composition is a hymn to light, both natural and photographic. The frame, amplified by the autochrome process, lends this scene a unique depth, where the rainbow seems to reconcile opposing elements: light and shadow, rain and sun, air and earth. The town of Spa, although slightly set back, benefits from this supernatural light, adding an extra charm to this spectacular landscape.
Through this autochrome, Léon Herlant invites us to contemplate a fleeting moment, a subtle marriage between the grandeur of nature and the tranquility of the town, while exploring the mysteries and beauties of light, specific to his era.
Léon Herlant (1873-1968), a man who was both scientist and artist. A doctor of medicine and pharmacology, professor and chairman of the Faculty of Medicine at the Université Libre de Bruxelles from 1930 onwards, Herlant was the perfect example of the spirit of his time: curious, methodical and sensitive to the beauty of the world.
In addition to his scientific work - including a book co-written with G. Billen in 1896, Micrographie des poudres officinales - Léon Herlant was a passionate Autochrome photographer. His photographs reveal an intimate view of nature and everyday objects.
His works include superb snow-covered landscapes, tormented studies of trees, and still lifes of great finesse, where colors burst forth in delicate light.
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