Cloitre St. Pierre, Avignon

Griggs employed red and black crayon with controlled, layered strokes to model volume and texture. The laid paper’s subtle grain enhances the tactile quality of the stone surfaces. His draftsmanship is precise yet restrained, avoiding dramatic contrast in favor of tonal subtlety, aligning with his interest in atmospheric archaeology.

The drawing was made during Griggs’s 1922 journey through Provence, a period when he deepened his focus on ruined architecture. It remained in his personal collection until after his death, later entering a public collection through bequest. No exhibition record exists prior to the mid-20th century.

In the early 1920s, Griggs was part of a British artistic circle drawn to medieval and post-medieval ruins as subjects for quiet, non-narrative study. His work contrasted with contemporary modernist trends, instead aligning with a revival of interest in historical continuity and the poetic value of decay.

Though not widely exhibited during his lifetime, Griggs’s drawings like this one influenced later generations interested in topographical drawing and the aesthetics of ruin. His meticulous approach to architectural fragments remains a reference for artists exploring the intersection of place, memory, and material.