Swiss engravers — Henri Courvoisier-Voisin

Henri Courvoisier-Voisin  1757 - 1830

Henri Courvoisier-Voisin was a Swiss painter and engraver, born on December 11, 1757, in La Chaux-de-Fonds, and died on May 12, 1830, in Biel/Bienne. He is regarded as one of the finest engravers Switzerland produced in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

Courvoisier-Voisin began his artistic studies in Mulhouse. Upon returning to his hometown, he learned the art of engraving, closely tied to the watchmaking industry, under the renowned master Charles-Louis Leschot.

Driven by ambition, he moved to Paris in 1778 despite financial hardship and was admitted to the prestigious Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts, where he studied for four years. This period proved pivotal for his career.

Courvoisier-Voisin is best known for his topographical prints (landscapes) , characterized by their serene harmony, balanced compositions, and meticulous attention to detail. His talent, however, extended across various genres and techniques: Historical scenes — notable for their dramatic expressiveness. Aquatint technique — he was a virtuoso of this complex method, allowing for rich tonal gradations and subtle chiaroscuro effects. He worked with burin (engraving), etching, and directly on copper.

His extensive legacy includes dozens of engravings depicting Swiss cities (La Chaux-de-Fonds, Le Locle), as well as documentary sketches of historical events, such as the famous Goldau landslide.

After returning from Paris, Courvoisier-Voisin maintained lifelong ties with the French art scene. His original drawings were engraved by other masters and published by prominent Parisian publishers like Basset.