Charles Henri Pellegrini

CHARLES HENRI PELLEGRINI (France, 1800 - 1875).
Untitled.
Oil on canvas. Relined.
It presents restorations.
Signed in the lower right corner.
Measurements: 50 x 61 cm.
This work of Charles Henri Pellegrini reflects with clarity the romantic and costumbrista spirit of the XIX century. The artist represents two girls in an open and serene landscape, surrounded by flowers and natural elements, in an intimate and carefully composed scene. The peaceful atmosphere, the subtlety of the colors and the softness of the light show the influence of European romanticism. The composition reveals Pellegrini's interest in observing customs and daily life. Although many of his works function as historical records of Buenos Aires and Buenos Aires society, in this case the artist approaches a more intimate and domestic scene, where the landscape takes on an emotional and narrative role.
Charles Henri Pellegrini was a Savoyard-Argentine painter, watercolorist and engineer, considered a fundamental figure in the origins of Argentine art in the 19th century. Born in France and trained at the prestigious Ecole Polytechnique in Paris, he arrived in Buenos Aires in 1828, hired by the government of Bernardino Rivadavia to participate in infrastructure and public works projects. Pellegrini stood out as one of the most important portraitists and watercolorists of his time, leaving a valuable visual record of Buenos Aires society, its customs and the urban transformation of Buenos Aires. His works, characterized by technical precision and documentary sensitivity, portray everyday scenes, landscapes and characters of a city in the midst of change. Thanks to his detailed eye, today his watercolors constitute an artistic and historical testimony of enormous value for understanding Argentine life in the 19th century.
In addition to his pictorial production, he collaborated closely with the renowned lithographer César Hipólito Bacle, participating in the development of lithography and the illustrated press in the country. His artistic legacy made him a key precursor of Argentine painting and an indispensable reference for the construction of the visual identity of the time. He was also the father of Carlos Pellegrini, president of the Argentine Nation between 1890 and 1892, thus consolidating a family of great influence in the history of the country.