Artwork

Voyages pittoresques et romantiques dans l'ancienne France. Bretagne: Chateau de Susinio

Voyages pittoresques et romantiques dans l'ancienne France. Bretagne: Chateau de Susinio is a print by the Romanticist artist Eugène Cicéri. It dates from 1845 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Accession no.: 1941.205
Credit line: Twenty-fifth anniversary gift, Mr. and Mrs. Lewis B. Williams Collection

About this work

Overview

Eugène Cicéri's print, 'Voyages pittoresques et romantiques dans l'ancienne France. Bretagne: Chateau de Susinio', circa 1845, is part of The Cleveland Museum of Art's collection. It depicts the ruins of Chateau de Susinio in Brittany, capturing a moment of serene decay.

Subject & Meaning

The print focuses on the abandoned, crumbling Chateau de Susinio, emphasizing its state of neglect. A prominent church steeple dominates the foreground, while a few figures explore the ruins in the background, highlighting the contrast between past grandeur and present abandonment.

Technique & Style

Cicéri employs a Romantic style, using light effects to imbue the ruins with a sense of vitality. The interplay of bright, cloudy skies and the rocky, uneven terrain adds depth, while the overall mood remains quiet and mysterious.

History & Provenance

Created around 1845, the work is now housed at The Cleveland Museum of Art. Its creation reflects the mid-19th-century interest in documenting France's ancient landscapes and architecture.

Context

This piece aligns with the broader Romantic movement, which often explored themes of nature, drama, and historical nostalgia. Cicéri's focus on forgotten, ancient sites was characteristic of this artistic trend.