South Porch of Chartres Cathedral 1839

Thomas Shotter Boys made this watercolor and graphite view of the South Porch of Chartres Cathedral sometime in the 19th century. Boys was one of the great architectural painters of his day. He was especially good at rendering the weight and texture of stone. Look closely, and you'll see how the building seems to emerge from the whiteness of the paper. The artist has built up the image using graphite under-drawing and then thin layers of translucent color, to catch the light. The cathedral itself, of course, was also a product of tremendous labor. It was constructed over a period of decades, with generations of stonemasons, carpenters, and other craftspeople contributing to the effort. In a way, this drawing is a reminder of all that work, a way of honoring the skill and dedication that went into creating this iconic building. It is a meeting of craft and fine art.