Name/Title
Loches, FranceEntry/Object ID
2020.02.01Description
Painting
This sun-filled image depicts Loches, a medieval citadel town in the Loire Valley of France. It is a town steeped in rich history that still retains its authenticity, one of the best-preserved in France. The painting depicts part of the town with its distinctive architecture situated on the banks of the Indre River.Artwork Details
Medium
Watercolour on paperSubject Place
Region
Western EuropeContinent
EuropeContext
Loches is home to one of the most beautiful fortified cities in France, which dominates the town and the Indre River. It is a citadel town and has a medieval complex within its 2 km of walls which includes: a castle keep; a château (royal residence); the Collégiale Saint-Ours church; a tower cut into the rock as well as a medieval garden. Its architecture ranges from the Romanesque to the Renaissance.
First fortified in the 6th century, Loches was fought over by the French and English during the 12th and 13th centuries. It became a royal residence and a state prison in the 15th century, when the then king imprisoned his enemies in iron cages. Later it was a sub-prefecture, civil court and the regional detention house until the 1920s. Today it is a tourist destination as well as a small market town with some traditional and new industries.
The Indre-et-Loire council, which owns the site, began opening it up to visitors in the 1950s. The Château de Loches has been recognized as a 'monument historique' since 1861 and is listed by the French Ministry of Culture. In 1985 the Château was converted into a museum, and has one of the most extensive collections of medieval armour in France.Made/Created
Artist Information
Artist
Harry Heine, RSMA (1928-2004)Role
PainterDate made
n.d.Time Period
20th CenturyNotes
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY
Born in Edmonton, Alberta, Harry Heine was a prolific artist, one of Canada's foremost maritime scene painters. He started his career as an artist with the Alberta government, later freelancing as an architectural illustrator and designer, later a director of Designs Canada Ltd.
Always painting, he then moved to Victoria, B.C. actively working as an artist and teaching for some forty years. He undertook many commissions such as murals for Expo ’86 in Vancouver. Among many honours, he was elected in 1980 to the Royal Society of Marine Artists, as the first and only Canadian member. He was a Vice President of the Canadian Society of Marine Artists and of the Federation of Canadian Artists. He was made an Honorary Alberta Artist in 1983 in recognition of his contribution to the Visual Arts, and an Honorary Citizen of the City of Victoria in 1985. He was also a member of the Northwest Watercolour Society.
Heine shared his techniques through demonstrations, workshops and classes throughout Western Canada and overseas as guest lecturer for P&O Lines’ Swan Hellenic Cruises. All of his children are also involved in the art and design communities, and were involved with exhibitions with their father, including major retrospectives at Victoria's Winchester Galleries in 2005 and 2007. His work is held in many public collections in Canada, the United States and England.Inscription/Signature/Marks
Type
Signature, Inscription, LabelLocation
Signed lower left: HEINE / LOCHES FRANCE
In file (previously verso frame): printed bio card with pic and artwork info in pen:
TITLE: LOCHES, FRANCE
Number: P.C.
Medium: WATERCOLOUR
SIZE: FIELD SKETCH
Also framer's (THE FRAMING EXPERIENCE) label, printed in red with handwritten signature (illegible) and date (Oct. 20/91) verifying original standard of conservation framing and presentation.Dimensions
Dimension Description
Visible imageHeight
35.6 cmWidth
28 cmAcquisition
Acquisition Method
PurchaseDate
Feb 25, 2020Notes
Lunds Lot # 217Relationships
Related Entries
Notes
By Harry Heine:
2020.02.01 Loches, France
2022.04.02 Mural Sketch, Inner Harbour, Victoria [B.C.]
