Picturesque Architecture in Paris, Ghent, Antwerp, Rouen: Nôtre Dame, Paris, from the Quai St. Bernard

1839

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

Dominant colour

Picturesque Architecture in Paris, Ghent, Antwerp, Rouen: Nôtre Dame, Paris, from the Quai St. Bernard is a 1839 by Thomas Shotter Boys, a Romanticism work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Thomas Shotter Boys
When & what style?: 1839 · Romanticism
Where can I see it?: Cleveland Museum of Art

About this work

This sketch shows a busy riverside scene in a European city. A half-ruined building looms over the water, with laundry hanging from its crumbling walls. People walk along the dock, some carrying bags or tools, while others sit on benches or near piles of fabric and barrels. In the background, a grand cathedral with two tall towers stands across the river. The artist focused on everyday life mixed with old architecture. The laundry lines and scattered goods suggest a working-class area, while the cathedral hints at history and wealth nearby. Look up Romanticism to see how this painting fits into its time.

About the artist

Artist

Thomas Shotter Boys

Thomas Shotter Boys (1803–1874) was an English watercolour painter and lithographer, mostly producing cityscapes and images of buildings, although he produced some rural landscapes and marine subjects.

See the richer artist page