Henri Landier: 50 Years of Freedom

Published on: 7 7月 2025 Published in: News home

Through the ”50 Years of Freedom” exhibition, the public was invited to discover or rediscover the immense talent of Henri Landier, an independent artist who forged his own path, off the beaten track of traditional art galleries. The doors of the Atelier d’Art Lepic were open in springtime to celebrate an exceptional career marked by an impressive body of work made up of 2,000 engravings and 8,000 paintings.

The artist’s studio

Henri Landier is a prolific artist who has captivated more than 300,000 art enthusiasts over the decades, during around 100 solo exhibitions. Managing his own publishing house and an engraving studio, he has carved out a unique place for himself in the international art world and cultivated his creative freedom as the hallmark of his genius.

© Henri Landier – Watercolour on ARCHES ® Aquarelle paper

Normandy: an endless source of inspiration

The year 2025 also marks a series of summer exhibitions in Normandy, a region dear to the artist’s heart. Through “Douce France”, he is sharing some recent works – mainly watercolours – which capture the timeless beauty of Normandy’s landscapes.

The exhibitions will be held in five coastal towns: Cabourg, Ouistreham, Amfreville, Lion-sur-Mer and Caen. These towns are all stops on an artistic journey that reveals the tenderness and authenticity of this region. With their delicate approach and the light they give off, Landier’s works depict the lively beaches of Riva Bella, as well as elegant sail boats and historic landscapes, including the Piper Bill Millin statue of a Scottish soldier who played the bagpipes on D-Day, in Colleville-Montgomery.

2025 « Douce France » exhibitions by Henri Landier:

Cabourg, medical center, July/August
Ouistreham, Galerie Delobel, from July 4 to 17
Amfreville, Château Hauger, from July 14 to August 17
Lion-sur-mer, Galerie Trianon, from August 1 to 15
Caen, Galerie des croisés, from August 4 to 20

© Henri Landier – Watercolour on ARCHES ® Aquarelle paper

Returning to his roots

Originally from Glos, near Lisieux, on his mother’s side, Landier discovered Normandy in 1952. When he met his future wife Romaine in Caen in the 1960s at an exhibition opening, this encouraged the artist to regularly explore the region. During his stays, he used washes and gouache to draw the port of Caen, the canal, and the blast furnaces, quays, boats and dockers. He also produced large sanguine drawings of the local bocage landscape in Lonlay-l’Abbaye, which he then engraved on copper. His works from this period captured life in the Port of Caen with remarkable intensity. These frequent visits came to an end when Romaine was transferred to Paris.

Returning to the region in 2024, after conquering distant art scenes such as New Delhi, Landier saw Normandy as a new opportunity to create and reinvent himself. He decided to paint the region in watercolour. Through his watercolours in the “Douce France” series, he immortalised the serenity and liveliness of the Normandy coast with fresh perspective.

A timeless artist

Celebrating his 90th birthday in 2025, Landier and his summer exhibitions remind us of the importance of passion and freedom in art. His creations reflect his ability to capture the essence of places and transcend time. Through his works, Landier continues to leave a lasting mark on French artistic heritage.