French School Circa 1880, Presumed View Of The Ruins Of The Court Of Auditors In Paris, Oil On Canvas

French School of the 19th century, circa 1880
Presumed view of the ruins of the Court of Auditors in Paris
Oil on canvas
55 x 38 cm
Good condition - usual restorations - two small chips of material are noted

This landscape of ruins certainly represents the Court of Auditors of Paris, destroyed by a fire during the events of the Commune in 1871. The scene is bathed in a soft light that penetrates through the stone arches and vaults, creating a contrast between the shadow of the walls and the clarity of the exposed areas. The green and dense vegetation grows through the rubble, symbolizing renewal and nature reclaiming its rights. Its presence leads us to believe that the painter must have ventured into this forgotten place in the 1880s-1890s. The ruins of the palace remained in this state until 1897, when the land was purchased by the Compagnie d'Orléans which built the Gare d'Orsay the following year.