35 - E. BRETENIÈRES (*1804), The town of Visp in the canton of Valais, Switzerland, 1855, Pencil

E. BRETENIÈRES (*1804), The town of Visp in the canton of Valais, Switzerland, 1855, Pencil Edmond de Bretenières (1804 Dijon – 1882 ibid.): View of the town of Visp (Viège, Fischp) in the canton of Valais, Journey to 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 drawing depicts an idyllic landscape with a small cluster of buildings, including several church towers and houses, which blend harmoniously into the hilly surroundings. The architecture is sketched in detail, with the church towers standing out due to their Gothic elements. In the foreground, rural structures and scaffolding—possibly used for agricultural purposes—are visible. The sense of depth is emphasized by the overlapping of the buildings and the surrounding vegetation. The lighting conditions are subtly suggested, without strong contrasts. The entire composition exudes tranquility and depicts a rural setting typical of Alpine regions. Keywords: Landscape; Village; Church tower; Gothic; Architecture; Alps; Hills; Vegetation; Rural; Sketch; Drawing; Idyll; Tranquility; Buildings; Village view; Nature; Church; Scaffolding; Agriculture; Scenery; 19th century; Romanticism; Cities; Switzerland; Size: Paper: 30.1 cm x 23.9 cm (11.9 x 9.4 in) Condition: Good condition. The corners of the sheet are noticeably wavy due to mounting on the reverse. Slightly discolored along the edges and minimally bumped in places.