32 - E. BRETENIÈRES (*1804), Château Saint-Maurice on the Rhône, 1855, Pencil

E. BRETENIÈRES (*1804), Château Saint-Maurice on the Rhône, 1855, Pencil Edmond de Bretenières (1804 Dijon – 1882 ibid.): Road and wooded slope near Château Saint-Maurice with the Rhône bridge in the canton of Valais, while traveling in Switzerland, sketchbook, 1855, pencil Technique: Pencil on paper, mounted on paper Date: 1855 Description: From a scrapbook containing the artist’s travel sketches. “Esquisses faites par le Baron Edmond de Bretenières feudant les voyages en Suisse” (Sketches made by Baron Edmond de Bretenières during his travels in Switzerland). The pencil drawing depicts an idyllic landscape scene featuring a river spanned by a stone bridge. To the right of the bridge stands a castle with several towers on a gentle hill. On the left, another building is visible on the riverbank. Wooded hills and a small structure on a hill—possibly a lookout tower—are visible in the background. The composition is balanced, with a clear horizon line and a gentle gradation of depth. The lines are fine and detailed, giving the drawing a calm, almost dreamlike atmosphere. Keywords: Landscape; Castle; Bridge; River; Hill; Pencil drawing; Tower; Architecture; Nature; Idyll; Tranquility; Perspective; Depth; Detail; Building; Drawing; Structure; Trees; Composition; View; 19th century; Romanticism; Architecture; Switzerland; Size: Paper: 23.9 cm x 30.3 cm (9.4 x 11.9 in) Condition: Good condition. The paper is slightly creased in places. The corners of the sheet are clearly wavy due to mounting on the reverse. Minimal traces of liquid in the center and waviness in places. A small reddish-brown stain is visible in the center.