Michel Henry [Autumn in Burgundy] Original silk screen print, signed by the artist [framed]

Limited to 300 copies. Image size 52 x 65 cm. Frame size 82 x 94 cm. Created in 1985.

Silkscreen printing was invented in the early 20th century. It is a screen printing technique in which color seeps through the mesh of silk or other materials and is transferred to paper or fabric. Areas where the color should not seep through are blocked off. The number of plates is equal to the number of colors used. It was used in the art field by American companies such as Warhol in the 1950s, and became popular as an art printing technique. By allowing a large amount of color to seep out, it is possible to create a thickness similar to that of oil paint, which creates a beautiful matière (the texture of paint applied with a brush, etc.), making it the perfect printing technique for Michel Henry.

Michel Henry is a painter who mainly paints flowers, and together with Buffet and Brasilier, he is one of the leading painters in the 20th century French art world. His paintings give off a sense of happiness, so he is called the painter of happiness in France, and the king of poppies in America, because he paints many poppies. His transparent colors are likened to jewels. Red is said to be the color of ruby, blue is the color of sawaire, green is the color of emerald, and deep brown is the color of topaz. Michel Henry's paintings are collected by the Museum of Modern Art in Paris, the Swedish royal family, the Principality of Monaco, the Saudi Arabian royal family, and others. Galerie Adeka has been the sole distributor of Michel Henry in Japan since 1995, planning Michel Henry exhibitions in famous department stores and galleries throughout Japan, producing original prints signed by the artist himself, selling painting prints, and managing copyrights.

 This original silkscreen print was produced by a publisher in Paris in 1985 as part of a tetralogy of French seasons (Spring in Alsace, Summer in Cassis, Autumn in Burgundy, Winter in Normandy). It was purchased directly from the publisher in Paris in 2004.

Work Description

Roses, gerberas and grapes are placed in a crystal vase and crystal compote against the backdrop of a vineyard in Burgundy before harvest. The flowers are painted in wine red and the grapes in a deep blue, which overlaps with the image of a profound autumn. The beauty of the composition is particularly captivating. The overlapping of numerous triangles creates a sense of perspective while at the same time creating a moving geometric beauty. The center of the work is a triangle formed by a line connecting the apex of the rose petals to the right edge of the crystal compote and a line drawn directly downward from the rose petals. The church spire in the distance is the apex of the work, and several isosceles triangles are constructed with the rows of vineyards as their sides. A triangle also appears connecting the left edge of the gerbera to the church spire and the right edge of the compote to the spire. The gerbera flower and the grape compote each contain a triangle. The triangle gives a sense of stability, the solid color, and the dull blue-gray base of the object give it a sense of weight and stability. Autumn is a time of abundant harvest.

Gallery Adeka Yasuhiro Takeda