"french School, End Of The 19th Century, Drawing, Architectural View"

FRENCH SCHOOL, late 19th century
"Architectural View"
Charcoal and black chalk drawing with gouache highlights.
Gilt wood frame.
Dimensions: H. 31 cm, W. 47 cm.
Dimensions with frame: H. 51 cm, W. 63.5 cm.

This drawing depicts the square of an unidentified town. The architectural details of all the buildings are finely rendered: pediments, mascarons, door frames, balconies… Not far from the central fountain, a range of buildings from different periods and styles unfolds. The Gothic spire of a religious building soars into the sky in front of a building revealing a medieval half-timbered projection. Further on, a neoclassical monument adorned with columns and surmounted by a pediment is topped by a dome crowning another building in the background. Whether it's a precise topographical view or a fanciful architectural vision remains open.

The anonymous artist carefully composes the scene, highlighting the different planes of the composition with white gouache. While a bank of threatening clouds illuminates the sky, a few immaculate touches enliven the central fountain, dot the ground, and emphasize the edges of the buildings.