description Henri Rivière – Breton Landscapes series (1890s) Overview
Henri Rivière's Breton Landscapes is a series of color woodcuts depicting the coasts, villages, fields, and inhabitants of Brittany in northwestern France. Created in the 1890s, the prints combine direct observation of Breton scenery with flattened color, asymmetrical composition, and other devices associated with Japanese ukiyo-e. The series is relevant to viewers studying French printmaking, Japonisme, and representations of rural life.
help Henri Rivière – Breton Landscapes series (1890s) FAQ
How many prints are in Henri Riviere's Breton Landscapes series?
Breton Landscapes, or Paysages bretons, is generally catalogued as a set of 20 color woodcuts. Riviere produced the series during the 1890s from subjects observed in Brittany.
How did Japanese prints influence Breton Landscapes?
Riviere adopted flattened color, cropped views, asymmetrical composition, and elevated viewpoints associated with ukiyo-e. His admiration for artists such as Hokusai and Hiroshige is also apparent in his later Thirty-Six Views of the Eiffel Tower.
Which parts of Brittany appear in the series?
The prints depict Breton coasts, fishing communities, villages, fields, and everyday labor rather than one continuous narrative. Individual sheets should be identified by their French titles because English translations vary.
Are Breton Landscapes prints lithographs or woodcuts?
Paysages bretons is a color woodcut series produced from multiple carved blocks. Riviere also worked extensively in color lithography, which is why medium descriptions for his different Breton subjects are sometimes confused.
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