Henry Meylan, Petit chemin de campagne, Oil on Canvas

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Artist born in 1895. Died in 1980.
Although born in the Vallée de Joux where he spent his childhood, he … Read more Artist born in 1895. Died in 1980.
Although born in the Vallée de Joux where he spent his childhood, he can hardly be considered a Combier painter.
Artists from this region did not usually paint in the nude, while Henry Meylan excelled at it, deeply happy to bear witness in his own way to the beauty of the female body.
An artist in short, but nevertheless a combier of origin and a talent that this region is today rediscovering and not denying.
Here we are only scratching the surface of the work of this masterful creator with innumerable styles, passing with disconcerting ease from nude painting to that of our valiant mobilized people of the years 39-45, to the heavy painting of earth workers. to that of an enchanting landscape under the snow, from the most finished engraving to the drawing of a troop of bathers in the simplest camera watched over by a concupiscent faun!
Which amounts to saying that the man could do practically everything and with the same excellence, even capable, with his soldiers, of being a firefighter!
There will still be a lot to say about Henri Meylan, especially his work. The few lines which follow will therefore only be a first overview, introductory to a beautiful article published in La Patrie Suisse in February 1938 and devoted to Henry Meylan's engravings of some of our most beautiful Vaudois temples.


This artistic work depicts a captivating rural scene, imbued with tranquility and simplicity. In the center of the composition, a dirt road invites the viewer to get lost in this picturesque landscape. Earthy tones dominate the canvas, evoking an autumnal or winter atmosphere, where leaves are absent, leaving bare branches dancing in the gray sky. The house with its red roofs immediately catches the eye, contrasting with the shades of browns and greens in the rest of the painting. This pop of bright color serves as a focal point, suggesting warmth and refuge beyond the apparent coldness of the surroundings. The trees, stripped of their foliage, stand on either side of the path, forming a sort of natural corridor that guides the eye towards the background. The juxtaposition of the stone walls on the left and the wooden fence on the right creates a visual tension between nature and human architecture, reflecting a harmony typical of country landscapes. The use of light is subtle but effective, casting a soft glow that envelops the scene in a soft and serene aura. The cloudy sky brings an additional dimension, accentuating the impression of calm and silence that emerges from the work. The meticulous details and well-thought-out composition demonstrate the technical mastery of the artist, who manages to capture the essence of a moment frozen in time, sublimating the simple and timeless beauty of rural life. This piece has an attribution mark,
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