Biography of a multifaceted artist
Henri Sié opened his gallery, situated next to the church, in 1986, where he showcases his own paintings.
He was born in Toulouse in 1936, where he studied fine arts.
Henri Sié exhibited in many countries, including Japan, the USA, and Germany, where he attracted numerous collectors.
Other artists are exhibited in four showrooms, located on the ground floor and upstairs: Dany Lartigue, Desnoyer, Ferrer, Marko.c, and many others.
The gallery is open all year round.
Extract from the Bénézit (1999):
Born in 1936 in Toulouse (Haute-Garonne), XXth century.
French.
Landscape painter.
He was a landscape painter from the Beaux-Arts of Toulouse.
He moved to Paris to work as a model kit builder.
At the age of twenty-eight, he pursued a career as an opera and concert singer.
He settled down in Saint Tropez where he opened his own art gallery.
He participated in the Salon of the Independents in Paris and in various groups in the region.
His landscapes of the Midi are strongly painted with a vivid palette.
A southerner, born in Toulouse in 1936, where he studied fine arts, Henri Sié discovered Saint Tropez in the seventies. Seduced and enchanted by the light and colors of Provence, he fell under the charm of the old village and opened his gallery next to the church in 1987. An enthusiast of painting and music, he showcased his work at a salon in Paris and, at the age of 28, discovered he had a lyrical baritone voice. He was trained by the well-known Wagnerian singer.
Germaine Lubin and the melodist Pierre Barnac, winning several international contests. He sang major baritone operas such as "Les Noces de Figaro," "Don Juan," "Carmen," "Faust," "La Boheme," "Manon," etc., and was directed by prestigious conductors like R. Kubelik, Previtalli, and Plasson, in major international theaters like Munich, Rome, Lisbon, The Hague, Amsterdam, and The Vatican (with the Saint Cecilia), and the Royal Theater of Versailles.
He also performed in cathedrals and churches on numerous occasions for concerts and continued to hold recitals for his pleasure, accompanied by his friend, the great pianist Yury Boukoff.
In paintings, his preference is for Cezanne, Van Gogh, Carlo Carra, and above all, the great painter Marko, who lived in Saint Tropez and with whom he became very friendly towards the end of his life. It was Marko who encouraged Henri to paint without the constraints of "fashions."
A member of the association of Saint Tropez painters, Henri Sié exhibits in many countries, including Japan, the USA, and Germany, where there are many collectors. He was listed in the Bénézit book in 1999.
"Music and painting are for me a shelter and also a challenge which nothing can replace," he says. His punchy works combine strength, color, contrasts, and light. His paintings deliver more than a feeling; they express scenes through the strength and power of their architecture, where reds, ochres, yellows, and violets explode like strong musical notes.
Henri Sié talks about himself
Born in Toulouse in 1936, Henri Sié studied painting at the famous Beaux Arts academy while simultaneously pursuing his passion for opera. As a baritone, he won numerous international competitions, granting him access to the most prestigious European theaters where he sang leading roles in operas such as Don Giovanni, The Marriage of Figaro, Carmen, Faust, La Bohème, Manon Lescaut, and more. He also gave many concerts with his friend and celebrated pianist, the late Yury Boukoff.
His passion for painting, however, always remained with him. Following his attraction to the South-West of France, where he was born, Henri Sié fell under the spell of the colors of Provence, which come to life in his paintings. In 1987, he opened his own gallery in the old part of Saint-Tropez near the church tower. Like artists such as Signac, Matisse, and many others, he was captivated by the beauty of this part of France, which he emphasized through his works with his use of intense colors.
From his gallery, Henri Sié speaks about his past and his passion for painting.
Perhaps it originated during my childhood spent amongst the marvelous landscapes of my beloved South-West. I had a desire to translate the emotions I felt when looking at these landscapes through painting and drawing. It was natural, therefore, for me to study at the Beaux-Arts academy in Toulouse, where I could be guided on my artistic path with even more love and enthusiasm. My other passion, singing, continued at the same time, though I never stopped painting and drawing.
Opera is not easy; in my opinion, it was essential to be gifted enough to sing leading roles, which seemed to be the case for me.
I have always believed that music and painting could easily complement one another. The art of music, singing, is just as capable of evoking emotions in an opera, a song, or a symphony as a painting can through its subtle colors, whether strong or pale, by expressing their gentleness, contrasts, or immediacy.
The association between the two arts has always been indispensable to me and perhaps has allowed me to know myself better and to understand certain aspects of art that I might never have discovered.
Frédéric Vitoux, of the French Academy
Henri Sié doesn't beat around the bush. He doesn't cheat. He doesn't aim for showmanship to impress the gullible. He paints, if I may say so, precisely on time. The sincerity of colors matched with the accuracy of the moment. I don't believe he featured many suns in his paintings, but for each of them, we know precisely where the sun is positioned, where it strikes from. There's an undeniable clarity in his approach, as they say in music, in his lights and his shadows - his shadows so blue, so violet, so Mediterranean.
To whom does Henri Sié owe his debt? In which lineage does he belong? I'll leave it to art critics to answer. Some may think of Marquet. Others of those painters found in the museum of the Annonciade who, decades before him, were dazzled by Saint Tropez, the curve of its hills, and the sea glimpsed between the trunks of the parasol pines. We will also mention Marko, the Yugoslav painter of Saint Tropez, the hero of the Resistance, whom Sié frequented so much, loved so much, admired so much, and who now seems to him unjustly neglected...
For my part, I believe Sié owes much, above all, to the art of singing. It's not a paradox. He, who was a superb baritone, retained this simple lesson: it is impossible to lie when finding the right note. No pretense can replace the melodious expressiveness of tone. As a painter, he learned similarly not to lie. He finds the right color, once again, or the harmony of colors. He knows that nothing surpasses the chromatic melody of a canvas, like the sensuality of a landscape.
How does one say "bel canto" for a painter? I don't know but Henri Sié's paintings nonetheless suggest an answer. They sing. - Frédéric Vitoux, De l'Académie française.
Aucune prétention ne peut remplacer l’expressivité mélodieuse du ton.
En tant que peintre, il a également appris à ne pas mentir. Il retrouve la bonne couleur, encore une fois, ou l'harmonie des couleurs. Il sait que rien ne surpasse la mélodie chromatique d'une toile, comme la sensualité d'un paysage.
Comment dit-on « bel canto » pour un peintre ? je ne sais pas mais
Les peintures d'Henri Sié suggèrent néanmoins une réponse.
Ils chantent.
Frédéric Vitoux
De l'Académie française
Henri Sié, Opera singer
The fairies of lyricism must have certainly watched over Henri Sié's cradle.
Gifted and sensitive, it was only recently that he discovered his treasured baritone voice and collected awards: a unanimous victory in the "Golden Voice" competition, followed by three prizes at the Paris International Competition, a highly competitive singing event attracting voices from around the world. Additionally, he won the International Competition of Treviso, known as the heaven of Bel Canto. With great joy, he accumulated numerous concerts, performing lead roles in Carmen, Faust, Don Juan, The Marriage of Figaro, and Carmina Burana. His success resonated throughout Europe, with concert halls in Lisbon, Amsterdam, and Munich still echoing his achievements.
His talent blossomed under the guidance of Raphael Kubelik, Plasson, and Prévitalli. He showcased his best performances alongside his friend, the great pianist Yury Boukoff. This talent is the result of long and persistent work. He devoted countless hours to rehearsal with renowned singers such as Germaine Lubin and Gino Bechi, honing his skills in melody with Pierre Bernac and pianist Irène Aîtoff.
A true soul of Saint-Tropez, he brings magic to the midnight mass of St. Tropez in a nearby church. Yet, Henri possesses another talent—he is also a powerful and profound painter, capturing generous emotions akin to the textures of his musical notes. Once again, he showcased his talents at the Salon d'Automne in Paris and exhibited collections worldwide, including in Japan, Germany, Switzerland, and the United States. Henri Sié, the passionate artist, continues to enchant, surprise, and charm us. Inspired by St. Tropez like many other talented individuals, today he owns his own gallery on rue du Clocher in St. Tropez, a true testament to his artistic journey.
