Henri Hélis, Branches Above Water, Oil Painting on Canvas, early 20th century

This beautiful early 20th-century oil painting by French artist Henri Hélis (1872-1945) portrays a lake at sunset, with a pine branch in the foreground, bushes on the shores of the lake, and distant trees in the background. Its distinctive composition gives the impression of a close-up view, while light brushstrokes emphasise the soft movement of the branches, evocative of a late summer evening. Its dreamlike palette of colours is typical of Helis’s work, where sunset colours envelop the entire landscape from the fiery red and yellow of the bushes to the softer blues and purples of the lake in the background.

Recently discovered, the work of French painter Henri Hélis is strongly influenced by Impressionism, depicting the forest landscapes of Sologne and the park of Paris in the same light painterly touch, translating the play of light in vibrant palettes of colours. A founder of the Salon d’Automne along with Paul Cezanne, his work was also regularly exhibited in the Salon des Independants and the Salon d’Hiver. His work was only recently rediscovered and featured in retrospective exhibitions in Romorantin and Paris. Coming from the artist’s studio, this rare work is mounted in a gilded wood frame and features the stamp of the artist at the back.