Hôtel Saint Delis: The Painter's House
The Painter's House, Henri de Saint-Delis, is a place steeped in history.
The artist, born in Marconne in the Pas-de-Calais in 1878, lived there until his death in 1949. The painter's bedroom, No. 3, on the first floor, has been comfortably renovated and opens onto the curves of the rue du Puits. From its windows, you can see the horse-drawn carriage of the nearby Ferme Saint Siméon - Relais & Châteaux, and hear the pleasant sound of horses' shoes striking the cobbles, like a reminder of the sounds of life in the past.
Henri de Saint-Delis painted from the landing, which led to his accommodation, Norman still lifes composed of flowers and fruits from the property. From the garden, he depicted the southwest facade and the warm wooded setting of the master's house.
The half-timbered house, known as "Norman," to the right of the entrance porch, presents the typical architectural features of the beautiful houses of the Pays d'Auge from the 17th century.
Henri de Saint-Delis loved to stay in this peaceful vegetation of Bourg Sainte-Catherine to paint watercolors at any time and magnify the serene atmosphere that prevailed there. For over thirty years, he traveled around the port city of Honfleur and its surroundings to leisurely 'watercolor' numerous testimonies of Honfleur's dynamism, sitting on a small folding seat in front of his easel.
He was a member of the academy of drawing, painting, and sculpture Rodolphe Julian founded in Paris in 1868, which achieved international renown.
Henri de Saint-Delis's paintings distinguish him as a joyful man. All his views, with delicate or brighter touches, reflect the cheerfulness of daily life and local festivities, changing skies, dancing waves, radiant landscapes with the soft colors of spring and summer, the shimmering of autumn, and the bluish whiteness of winter.
Lasting memories, all linked to the beautiful french history of painting.
