PAUL BRADDON (1854-1938) - Lot 92

PAUL BRADDON (1854-1938) Old Rouen Watercolor on paper. Circa 1890. Signed lower right. Period frame with an accident. British watercolorist and illustrator Paul Braddon is renowned for his sensitivity to detail and his love of historic cities. His meticulous, precise work offers a romantic vision of the past, finely restoring the soul of the places he depicts. In this watercolor, he captures the vibrant atmosphere of Place de la Calende, in the heart of Rouen's old town, dominated by the imposing architecture of Notre-Dame Cathedral. The composition highlights a striking contrast between the Gothic grandeur of the edifice and the bustling daily life in the foreground. The half-timbered houses typical of Normandy, the market stalls, the delicately sketched silhouettes of passers-by: all combine to recreate the effervescence of 19th-century Rouen, still imbued with its rich medieval past.