Alexandre Francia (1817–1884) - Herons near a waterfall

Alexandre Thomas FRANCIA (Calais, 1817 – Brussels, 1884)

Herons near a waterfall,
probably in Scotland

Oil on canvas
Signed lower right
48 x 68 cm

There is still some doubt about Alexandre Thomas Francia's date of birth. Some believe he was born in London on April 1, 1815. Indeed, his parents having chosen to emigrate during the revolutionary period, the Francia family took refuge in London from 1790. We then find them in Calais from 1817. However, according to the information contained in Salon booklets, Alexandre Thomas was indeed born in Calais…
That being said, Alexandre Thomas was the son of the French landscape painter François Louis Thomas Francia (1772-1839), renowned during his lifetime for his watercolor talents, whose favorite theme was seascapes.
Obviously, a student of his father, Alexandre Thomas would also be a renowned painter and watercolorist in the same specialty. He traveled to the Netherlands around 1831, discovered Brussels in 1835, and then Italy, particularly Naples and Venice. He also traveled throughout France, clearly drawn to Brittany, before leaving for Ireland and then Scotland.
His first official submission was in 1831 at the Douai Salon, where he exhibited a Dutch seascape alongside his father. This was followed by his first participation in the Paris Salon four years later in 1835. His last participation in this Salon was in 1866, with his final submission being a painting entitled Souvenir d’Ecosse, perhaps our painting.
Alexandre Thomas also pursued an international career, participating in the Salons of London, Vienna (he won a medal at the 1873 exhibition), Antwerp in 1861 and 1864, Ghent in 1862, and Brussels, where he received a gold medal in 1851. It was in this city that he would settle permanently. He breathed his last there on July 23, 1884.
For his artistic merits, Alexandre Thomas was made a Knight of the Order of Leopold (Belgium), Knight of the Order of Medjidié (Turkey), Crown of Oak (Holland), and Commander of the Order of Isabella (Portugal).

Museums: Calais, Königsberg (Poland)…

In this composition, typical of naturalist romanticism, Alexandre Francia depicts an alpine scene crossed by a fast-flowing, steep torrent, punctuated by the presence of two herons at the water's edge. The painter excels in capturing the dynamics of the waterfall, the rocky textures, and the richness of the vegetation. This work, combining naturalistic rigor and poetic sensitivity, reflects the fascination of 19th century artists, like his contemporaries Alexandre Calame (1810-1864) and Gustave Doré (1832-1883), for majestic nature.