Honfleur Calvados Normandy France 1852 Saint Leonard Church Two Tone Lithograph

Description

This Honfleur church lithograph dated 1852 depicts Saint-Léonard Church in the Calvados department of Normandy France. The original two-tone print combines a detailed architectural study with an animated view of everyday life around the church.

The ornate façade dominates the composition. Its elaborate Gothic doorway, sculpted decoration and tall bell tower are carefully rendered, while the surrounding houses place the monument within the streets of old Honfleur.

Figures bring life and scale to the paved square. Women and children gather near the steps, pedestrians cross the foreground and a man pulls a small handcart. These details make the print appealing both as an architectural view and as a glimpse of nineteenth-century French town life.

The dark lithographic drawing contrasts with a softly tinted background. This restrained palette gives depth to the stonework and a gentle atmospheric quality to the sky.

The printed credits identify Félix Benoist as the draughtsman, Bachelier as the lithographer and J. Gaildrau as responsible for the figures. The original French title appears beneath the image.

A decorative antique print for collectors of Honfleur and Normandy views, French architecture and religious heritage.

Details:
– Location: Honfleur Calvados Normandy France.
– Subject: Saint-Léonard Church and the surrounding square.
– Date: 1852.
– Technique: original two-tone lithograph.
– After a drawing by Félix Benoist.
– Lithographer: Bachelier.
– Figures: J. Gaildrau.
– Sheet dimensions: 34.6 × 25 cm.
– Image dimensions: 28.7 × 19.8 cm.