4. Henri Roidot (1877–1960)

Henri Roidot (1877–1960)

Shepherd with Cattle by a Pond, c. 1910

Oil on canvas, 95 × 125 cm / 105 × 134 cm.

Signature in the lower right corner. H. Roidot

Condition: there is a hole in the canvas on the right-hand side at approximately mid-height, and traces of pouncing are visible on the surface.

Henri Roidot was born in Anderlecht, Belgium. During his studies, he became a member of the Vie et Lumière group of artists, which included James Ensor and Maurice Sys. The group sought to capture the effect of light in their paintings through vibrant brushwork and bright colours.

He was both an Impressionist and a Luminist. His subjects included landscapes, forest scenes, farmyards, orchards and figures. He was mainly inspired by the landscapes of Brabant, a historic region in Western Europe. His works are bathed in light and radiate tranquillity and optimism.

He often used a palette knife to apply fairly thick layers of paint to produce spectacular effects in his paintings. He also gained recognition as a subtle watercolourist.

Description:

A genre scene featuring a young shepherd in the foreground on the left. The figure is shown from behind and is dressed in a grey jacket, dark trousers and a cap. He holds a stick in his right hand, on which he leans. In the distance, cows graze by a pond that occupies the central part of the composition, with trees lining its banks.

The painting is dominated by shades of green. It is executed in impasto, creating luminist effects combined with pastel colour accents. The signature 'H. Roidot’ appears in the bottom right-hand corner.