Lot n° 63
Estimation :
100 - 200
EUR
Léon Herlant (1873-1968) - 2 autochromes on Lumière plate, 8 - Lot 63
Léon Herlant (1873-1968) - 2 autochromes on Lumière plate, 8.5 x 10 cm. This duo of autochromes, taken between 1909 and 1910, plunges us into the intimacy of Céline Thirifays, Léon Herlant's wife and model, through scenes imbued with poetry and calm. These two images, each unique in its kind, reveal the beauty of the everyday life of a woman who was both elegant and attached to the simplicity of life.
The first autochrome, taken around 1910, shows Céline seated in nature, wearing an elegant mauve dress. She is surrounded by ferns and grasses, captured in a moment of absolute tranquility, in harmony with the natural environment. This scene is a return to nature, a tribute to the spirit of the rustic revival that ran through the period, when natural elements and simple lifestyles were idealized. This unique portrait is made even more remarkable by the presence of green, almost ethereal spots in the autochrome, adding a singular, surreal dimension to the image. These spots, which seem to come from the surrounding nature, lend the scene a dreamlike, almost unreal atmosphere.
The second autochrome, dated April 1909, shows Céline at home, quietly reading. The contrast with the first image is striking: this time, Céline is surrounded by kilims hanging on the wall, adding a touch of artisan culture and oriental elegance to the scene. She is caught in a moment of calm, absorbed in her book, while the warm ambience of her interior brings out a luminous softness in the play of light and shadow. Autochrome, with its texture and ability to capture subtle nuances, seems here to transport the viewer into an atmosphere of silent reflection, where every detail contributes to the intensity of the moment.
These two portraits, imbued with soft light and sensitivity, illustrate not only the character of Céline Thirifays but also the artistic approach of Léon Herlant, who through his use of autochrome manages to capture moments of rare emotional intensity. Combining wilderness with the intimacy of bourgeois interiors, these two autochromes bear witness to an era when photography was becoming a true art of the soul.
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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