Sir Henry Rushbury

Catalogue entry

N04335 LA ROCHELLE c. 1923

Inscr. ‘Henry Rushbury’ b.c., ‘Entrepote [sic] Reel des Douane’ b.r. vertically and
‘No 7 17 1/2×11 3/4 25×19’ b.r.
Pen and sepia wash, 11 5/8×17 5/8 (29·5×45).
Bequeathed by J. R. Holliday 1927.
Coll: As for N04333.

Drawn c. 1923 at La Rochelle, this shows the square Motte-Rouge formerly called Place Saint-Nicolas after the name of the church of Saint-Nicolas which appears on the right of the drawing. This church was begun after the siege of 1628 and completed by 1654. In May 1887 it was deconsecrated and became a customs house, being used as such for many years until taken over recently by a co-operative society. In the middle distance may be seen one of the customs barriers and on the left the remains of ancient fortifications which once surrounded the district of Saint-Nicolas and which have now disappeared since the extensive rebuilding of the area after the damage caused by the 1939–45 War. Above the houses in the background to the left rises the tower of the church of Saint-Sauveur.

Published in:
Mary Chamot, Dennis Farr and Martin Butlin, The Modern British Paintings, Drawings and Sculpture, London 1964, II

Read more