Artwork
Fountain of Notre-Dame at Saint-Brieuc, Brittany
Fountain of Notre-Dame at Saint-Brieuc, Brittany is a photography by the Romanticist artist Louis-Rémy Robert. It dates from 1853 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
This photograph, taken by Louis-Rémy Robert in the early 1850s, is part of a series documenting medieval architecture in Brittany. It depicts a small Gothic pavilion built over the Fountain of Notre-Dame in Saint-Brieuc.
Subject & Meaning
The image shows a 15th-century pavilion with a square façade, set amidst trees and a path, with a 19th-century chapel visible in the background. A woman in traditional Breton costume is seated under the pavilion's frontal arch, adding a sense of place and human presence.
Technique & Style
The photograph features a sense of atmosphere, with the movement of trees captured due to the long exposure time, and contrasting areas of light and shadow. The composition is carefully framed, with the pavilion positioned on a slight diagonal.
History & Provenance
The photograph is part of a series that was later copied in lithography by Emile van Marcke. The Cleveland Museum of Art holds this print, which is a testament to Robert's documentation of Brittany's medieval heritage.
Artist & collection
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