Puits du Chateau de Nantes, Bretagne

Art Historical Context

Behold *Puits du Château de Nantes, Bretagne* (Well of the Castle of Nantes Brittany), a delicate 1846 lithograph by Adrien Dauz, created after a design by Léon Gaucherel This print captures the atmospheric stone well within the historic Château des Duc de Bretagne, a medieval fortress in western France's Brittany region. Dating to the mid-19th century, it reflects Romantic-era fascination with Gothic architecture and regional heritage, evoking a of timeless mystery amid the castle's rugged walls. Printed on chine collé refined technique adhering thin Chinese paper to a sturdy support for subtle tonal gradations—Dauzats' lithography masterfully translates Gaucherel's composition into intricate detail. Measuring 37.2 x 26 cm, the image showcases the medium's prowess in rendering textures like weathered stone and shadowed depths, making architectural views accessible to a wider audience through affordable prints. A generous gift to the National Gallery of Art from Frank Anderson Trapp, this work highlights 19th-century printmaking's role in preserving France's cultural landmarks, inviting visitors to ponder the well's whispers of ducal history.