Petit travelled and painted in France in at least ten years between 1839 and 1866, far more than any other country excpt the UK.
He visited France most during the years when creating his most innovative art: 1853 – 1861. If one does not count the early UK albums, the total from France is as much as for the UK.
On this page we aim to show variety: by subject, by region, and by artistic style. Less interpretation, more visual delight !
The church at Loches was one of the most important identified in Architectural Studies in France (1854), with numerous illustrations from his 1851 trip. None like this. Petit returns in 1854 to paint it seemingly purely for pleasure.
Petit’s 1839 trip was mainly research for his first book Remarks on Church Architecture (1841). In France we have found most from around Nice, mainly landscapes while he seemed to take a break from work, and across the north. This little church near Montreuil is one of the closest models for his own church at caerdeon designed in 1861.
Travels in France from 1854 to 1861 have many landscapes, none more innovative than the stark red from 1859 and 1861. This replete with religious imagery to enforce the awesome, not pretty, aspect of God’s world. And a common touch of humour – the back end of sheep – perhaps the blindness of man to what is important.
From the 1851, primarily architectural trip…
Marine pictures are slightly less common than in the UK earlier years, so port scenes such as this are relatively rare among landscapes
The Orval landscape foreshadows a famous impressionist picture at Verthueil 20 years later, with similar rough treatment of the foreground but a brighter sky
Rough sketches can be found from even quite early in Petit’s career, such as this right on the present Italian/French border. Then Mentone (now Menton) was part of the Principality of Monaco, and surrounded by the Kingdom of Sardinia, only becoming part of France in 1860-61