Loches, France

Loches, France, n.d. Watercolour on paper by Harry Heine, RSMA (1928-2004)

Loches, France, n.d. Watercolour on paper by Harry Heine, RSMA (1928-2004)

Name/Title

Loches, France

Entry/Object ID

2020.02.01

Description

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 paper

Subject Place

Region

Western Europe

Continent

Europe

Context

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

Painter

Date made

n.d.

Time Period

20th Century

Notes

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, Label

Location

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 image

Height

35.6 cm

Width

28 cm

Acquisition

Acquisition Method

Purchase

Date

Feb 25, 2020

Notes

Lunds Lot # 217

Relationships

Related Entries

Notes

By Harry Heine: 2020.02.01 Loches, France 2022.04.02 Mural Sketch, Inner Harbour, Victoria [B.C.]

Web Links and URLs

Cité Royale de Loches