Aqueduc de Maintenon 1790 - 1850

Charles Fournier des Ormes created this drawing, "Aqueduc de Maintenon," using graphite on paper. The aqueduct dominates the composition with its series of arches marching across the page. Fournier des Ormes masterfully uses light and shadow to give depth to the stonework, suggesting both solidity and decay. Note how the trees on either side frame the aqueduct, drawing your eye into the scene's center. The structure itself is a powerful symbol of human ambition and engineering, softened by time and nature. Fournier des Ormes seems to be exploring the Romantic era's fascination with ruins, where nature reclaims what civilization has built. Consider the drawing's monochromatic palette. It emphasizes form and texture, inviting us to contemplate the dialogue between permanence and impermanence, structure and decay. It's a landscape not just observed, but felt.