GOTHIC Renaissance TOURS SAINT GATIEN'S CATHEDRAL CHURCH ~ 1865 Print Engraving

Description: EXTERIOR OF THE CATHEDRAL OF ST GATIEN, - TOURS Artist: T. Allom ____________ Engraver: J. Redaway Note: the title in the table above is printed below the engraving AN ANTIQUE STEEL ENGRAVING MADE IN THE 1860s !! ITEM IS OVER 130 YEARS OLD! VERY OLD WORLD! INCREDIBLE DETAIL! Tours is the capital of Indre-et-Loire département in the Centre region of west central France, on the Loire River. It is the chief tourist centre for the Loire Valley and its historic châteaus. Tours offers sharp contrasts in buildings and architectural styles. Its town hall, finished in 1904, is typical of its time, pompous and slightly overpowering. Away from the central square the cathedral of Saint-Gatien sums up four centuries of French religious architecture: the choir is of the 13th century; the nave marks a transition between Flamboyant Gothic and Renaissance styles; the facade was built from 1426 to 1547. Another contrast is found south of the Loire River and west of the rue Nationale, in the town's old section where cobbled streets and ancient houses are preserved. The Musée des Beaux-Arts in the former 17th-18th-century archiepiscopal palace has a rich collection of paintings. FROM THE ORIGINAL DESCRIPTION: Proceeding to Tours, it must not be forgotten that we pass, at the Mont Louis station, the village where was convened the ecclesiastical assembly which witnessed the reconciliation of Henry II. of England with Thomas a Becket, three months previous to the saint's assassination in his cathedral at Canterbury. But there is scarcely time even to form an imaginary picture of this scene before we are in Tours. The revolutionary period swept away much that was interesting in this ancient city, so that what remains to be seen in it need not detain the traveller beyond a single day. The cathedral of St. Gatien is the chief architectural object. Its west front is flanked by two towers 205 feet in height, but out of harmony with the other portions of the building. The three lofty portals which give admission to its interior are richly ornamented with foliage and floral designs. The interior is in a noble style of Gothic, with varied capitals in the columns, and bearing a striking resemblance to the early English. The choir beneath the cross, and before the high altar, was begun in 1170, and the nave, round which there are double aisles only, was completed in the reign of St. Louis. The beautiful old painted glass surrounding the choir, imparts a venerable and solemn effect to this part of the building, where the arms of St. Louis, of his mother, Blanche of Castille, and of the town, consisting of a group of towers, are seen. Here is the tomb of the two sons of Charles VIII. and Anne of Brittany, representing the royal infants lying tranquilly by the side of each other. Angels are kneeling round the babes, and stories taken from the classics and the Scriptures enrich every part of the monument. It is the production of the brothers Juste, who were natives of Tours. ABOUT THE ARTIST: Thomas Allom (1804-1872) was born in London, England on 13th March 1804. He was articled to Francis Goodwin, an architect in 1819. He was to become a founder member of the R.I.B.A. (Royal Institute of British Architects - which is still the premier institution today). He is best know for his topographical drawings, so many of which were engraved on steel & appeared in many of the travel books of the time. He travelled extensively, not just in the UK & Europe, but further afield, covering such countries as Turkey & China. Collections of his work can be found in the British Museum and the Victoria & Albert Museum. SIZE: Image size is 5 inches by 7 inches. Print size is 9 1/2 inches by 12 1/2 inches including white borders. CONDITION: Condition is excellent. Bright and clean. Blank on reverse. SHIPPING: Buyers to pay shipping/handling, domestic orders receives priority mail, international orders receive regular mail. Please note: the terms used in our auctions for engraving, heliogravure, lithograph, print, plate, photogravure etc. are ALL prints on paper, NOT blocks of steel or wood. "ENGRAVINGS", the term commonly used for these paper prints, were the most common method in the 1700s and 1800s for illustrating old books, and these paper prints or "engravings" were inserted into the book with a tissue guard frontis, usually on much thicker quality rag stock paper, although many were also printed and issued as loose stand alone prints. So this auction is for an antique paper print(s), probably from an old book, of very high quality and usually on very thick rag stock paper. EXTREMELY RARE IN THIS EXCELLENT CONDITION!

Price: 9.99 USD

Location: New Providence, New Jersey

End Time: 2024-08-11T21:13:41.000Z

Shipping Cost: 7.95 USD