Love Letter – Lithograph by Alexandre Blanchet
This lithograph, titled Lettre d’amour, by Alexandre Blanchet depicts a seated woman absorbed in reading a small letter, captured in a moment of quiet reflection. Shown in three-quarter profile and leaning gently against a table or windowsill, the figure is rendered with light, searching lines that emphasize expression and gesture over firm contour. The background is only lightly indicated, allowing the viewer’s focus to remain on the woman’s inward, contemplative mood.
The scene is intimate and restrained, characteristic of Blanchet’s humanist approach. Rather than narrating an event, he concentrates on the private pause between feeling and response. The woman’s slightly folded posture and the delicate treatment of her face and hands suggest tenderness and emotional reserve. Signed in the stone “A. Blanchet” and numbered 4/60, the print belongs to Blanchet’s mature graphic work of the 1950s–1960s, when he frequently explored solitary figures, reading and introspection through economical, expressive line.
Pforzheim 1882-1961 Geneva
The Swiss Artist Alexandre Blanchet became one of the best-known artists from the Suisse Romande (French part of Switzerland) during the period between the wars.
Following studies at the l’Ecole des arts industriels de Genève he developed a close association with two other well-known culture figures of his day: the painter René Auberjonois and the writer Charles Ferdinand Ramuz. Blanchet exhibited widely across Switzerland and was sought after for his portraits. In the 1920s, he became known for his large format murals, including the decor of the Tribunal Federal in Lausanne, and the churches Saint Joseph and Sacre Cour in Geneva. Alexandre Blanchet received the first prize of the city of Geneva in 1947.
