Who painted Saint-Honorat, Prés d'Arles?

Saint-Honorat, Prés d'Arles was painted by Édouard Baldus in 1853.

Where can I see Saint-Honorat, Prés d'Arles?

Saint-Honorat, Prés d'Arles is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

What movement is Saint-Honorat, Prés d'Arles?

Saint-Honorat, Prés d'Arles is associated with Impressionism.

Artwork

Saint-Honorat, Prés d'Arles

Édouard Baldus , 1853

Saint-Honorat, Prés d'Arles is a photography by the Impressionist artist Édouard Baldus. It dates from 1853 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

This photo shows a quiet cemetery with ancient Roman tombs in the foreground. In the back stands a half-built Romanesque church. The tower is missing its top half.

Baldus took this in 1853 on a second trip to Arles. He used paper negatives, a new trick at the time. The sky looks almost too smooth, like he printed it twice.

Check out the Cleveland Museum of Art to see this print in person.

Overview

Saint-Honorat, Prés d'Arles is a photograph by Louis Baldus, taken in 1853 during his second documentary trip to Provence. The image captures the Alyscamps, an ancient cemetery, in the foreground, and the unfinished Church of Saint Honorat with its distinctive two-story bell tower in the background.

Subject & Meaning

The photograph juxtaposes two historical layers: the ancient Roman tombs of the Alyscamps and the medieval Romanesque church. This composition reflects Baldus's dual interest in capturing the picturesque and documenting medieval architectural heritage.

Technique & Style

Baldus employed paper negatives, a novel technique at the time. Notably, the image features a remarkably smooth sky, suggesting possible multiple printing techniques, such as overprinting, to achieve the desired effect.

History & Provenance

Created in 1853, the photograph is part of the Dudley P. Allen Fund collection (2009.5) at the Cleveland Museum of Art. The same location inspired paintings by Paul Gauguin and Vincent van Gogh thirty-five years later, in 1888.

Context

This work is from Baldus's second trip to Provence, where he aimed to balance aesthetic appeal with historical documentation, successfully achieving this blend in Saint-Honorat, Prés d'Arles.

Legacy

While the direct influence of this specific photograph on later artists is not explicitly documented, it represents Baldus's contribution to early architectural photography and the enduring appeal of the Alyscamps and Saint Honorat as subjects for artists.