La Basse ville de Fribourg sous la neige

This watercolour presents the Lower Town of Fribourg beneath the snow, in a panoramic view where rooftops, façades and bell towers form a dense succession of planes. The composition leads the eye from the closely grouped houses in the foreground to the upper line of the city, punctuated by vertical silhouettes. The medieval architecture and urban reliefs are thus interpreted as a vast graphic motif, composed of slopes, setbacks and regular rhythms. The snow unifies the volumes and imposes a diffuse, almost silent light. Against this predominantly white ground, greenish greys, browns, muted ochres and a few darker accents stand out, giving depth to the streets, walls and openings. The watercolour retains the transparency inherent to the medium: washes modulate the façades without weighing them down, while more precise strokes emphasise the roofs, windows, bare trees and bell towers. Detail is never reduced to documentary description; it contributes to an overall construction, balanced between precision and simplification. Michel Tenthorey, born in 1948 in St-Saphorin-Lavaux, has practised watercolour since adolescence and has devoted himself entirely to painting since 1976. Self-taught, he developed a body of work largely devoted to the landscapes and villages of Lavaux, of which he became a particularly attentive observer. This view of Fribourg reflects his interest in regional architecture and in the variations of light associated with the seasons. Executed in 1986, it bears a visible signature and date in the lower right-hand corner. Presented under a mount in a new frame, the work retains a clear and luminous quality. Its strength lies in the harmony between the rigour of the urban construction and the atmospheric softness of the snow. In a contemporary living room, an elegant office or a chalet with clean lines, this watercolour would bring a strong architectural presence. Its snowy whites, warm greys and brown accents would engage in dialogue with wood, stone and natural materials.