Painting On Large Porcelain Dish From The 19th Century Signed By The Painter Alphonse Chaignon

Magnificent and important painting on porcelain in a circular shape signed by the painter Alphonse Chaignon 1828 - 1898. Trained by Jean-Hilaire Belloc, then a student of Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, Chaignon is known for his urban views idealizing the past, in particular the Medieval and Renaissance Paris. In the work presented, the flamboyant Gothic bell tower of the Tour Saint-Jacques (completed in 1523) is identifiable. We can also see the sign of a tavern, “Au Lion d’Or”, indicating refined cuisine. If the costumes clearly evoke the Renaissance, the city is still immersed in a medieval atmosphere. The half-timbered houses, the Gothic ornaments, the centuries-old activities of women reflect Chaignon's archaeological passion. Certain details, such as the woman carrying a jug, demonstrate the influence of Italian painting on Chaignon. The 1900 Universal Exhibition celebrated this imagination by offering a reconstruction of Paris in the Middle Ages.