Mauritanian Door With A Distant View Of A Sevilla By François Antoine Bossuet (1798-1889

Romantic scene with travellers before mauritanian gateswith distance view of a antique town (Sevilla?) in Spain. On the back of stretcher there is original indistinctly inscription of the artist in French: " Porte moresque(F)orts de Castro mi... de L´Espagne.......Bruxelles, 25... 1857, F.Bossuet" It´s mean in English: Morescue (oldmeaning of Mauritanian ) gates of fort of Castro.
Castroculture is the archaeologists´ descriptor for the culture of the northwestern part of the Iberian Peninsula (roughly present-day northern Portugal, Galicia, Asturias and northern and western León), from the end of the Bronze Age (9th century BC) until the 1st century AD. The most notable and permanent characteristic of this culture is their walled villages andhill forts, known as castros(from Latincastrum, castle). The area of these villages extends as far as the Cares river to the east and to the Douro River in the south.
The author of this painting is well renowed and highestimated Belgian architecture painterFrancois Antoine Bossuet (1798 Ypern - 1889 Bruessels).He studied: Tekenschool Ypern, with Jean Joseph Beirens; before 1814 Fine Arts Academy Antwerpen, with Willem Jacob Herreyns. Starting from 1815 in Oostende actively; 1819 joint founder and teacher of the academy voor Teeken EN Bouwkunde, until 1828 secretary of the pilot service. Starting from 1828 lived in Brussels, at the beginningas private-teacher, after 1830 of employees of the navy. From 1832/35 to 1874- teacher of the academy in Brussels (perspective). 1841 in diplomatic order journeyto Spain and North Africa.1863 member of the organizing committee of the Brüssler Salon; Member of theFine Arts Academy in Antwerpen. Honors: 1836 Silver Medall, Salon, Brussels; Komtur of the Leopold medal; 1846 knights of the medal Isabela católica. - As a specialist of city opinions and historical buildings Bossuet brought drawings, watercolours andoil paintings ofhis numerous journeys (among other things Sepia), of cities and landscapes, frequently on small format, for exemple Arab tower at the Tajo with Toledo, 1851. In minuziös and with traditionalmanner paintedviews are harmoniously embedded the figures.His work is characterised by accurate perspective and rendition of the materialness as well as warm colour.Hewas acknowledge as one of the best representativeof Belgian schoolof city views, represented however one romant. - realistic view of art and affected several painters. Over the perspective Bossuet published theoretical writings, which were raised with honor provided and to standard works. Pupils: Jean Bapiste van Moer, François Musin, François Xavier Roffiaen.

WORKS:ANTWERPEN,KingMuseumof preserve arts. BERLIN, Nat. - Gal. BRÜGGE, Groeninge mash. BRUSSELS, Mus.R. of the BA: Abbey St-Amand in Rouen, 1836. - City hall: threecity viewswith opinions of Brussels, 1887-88. - Sted.Mus. GENT, mash. voor preserve Kunsten. HAMBURG, arts center. LEIPZIG, picture gallery . museum of arts LONDON, V.& A. museum. LÜTTICH, museum the BA. OOSTENDE, city Arch. - museum . voor preserve Kunsten. PHILADELPHIA,museumof art. SHEFFIELD,city art gallery, STUTTGART, State Galery .
Exhibitions: 1989 Brussels, Museum Charlier (Catalog).
Exemples ofestimated prices in auctions: "View of Rome",89,5 x 124 cm sold inBeaux-Arts on 6.12. 2005 [Lot1028] for78.000 Euro(91.872 US$)hammer price;"View of a spanish town", 65,5 x 89 cm sold inKunsthaus Lempertz/Germany on 19.05 2007 [Lot1466] for25000 €(hammer); "Travellers resting, Morocco",48 x 63,2 cm sold inChristie´s London on 16.November 2006 [Lot73] for 13200 GBP(25000 US$); "A view of Zaragoza", 82,5 x 120,5 cm sold in Sotheby´s London on 15.11. 2006 [Lot208] for 21600 GBP (41500 US$); "Figures in the streets of a riverside 63 x 78,5 cmsold inSotheby´s Amsterdam on 17.100.2006 (Lot 229) for33600 €(incl.premium).
Literature:Thieme/Becker Vo4, 1910; Berko, 1981; Flippo 1981;Benezit , 1999.
Inscription:signedon the well in the left part of the painting,on the back of stretcher - original inscription by the artist in French (see photo).
Technique:oil on canvas. Raremauritanian style original 19 century period gold-plated frame.
Measurements: unframed22 1/4" x 15 1/2 " (56,5 x39,5 cm ), , framed w33" x h26 1/3" (84 x 67 cm)
Condition:in very good condition