Biography

Henri Le Riche: A French painter, engraver and sculptor, Henri Le Riche studied art in Paris under Bourguereau and Robert-Fleury. In 1888 he was awarded the Grand Prix de Rome which allowed him to conclude his artistic training in that city. Henri Le Riche began exhibiting his engravings, etchings and pastels in Paris in 1894 at the Salon des Artistes Francais and elsewhere. Henri Le Riche also gained a considerable reputation for his work in sculpture, usually signed with his pseudonym, 'Hirne'. In 1898, Henri Le Riche became a full member of the Societe Nationale des Beaux-Arts and, in 1922, was awarded both a Gold Medal and the chevalier de la Legion d'honneur from the French government. Henri Le Riche's etchings and engravings are remarkable for their compositional elements, most particularly his use of space and tonal elements. In Statuary, for example, he employs etching, drypointing and aquatint to create an almost haunting image of architecture and statues.