Porte du Caillou, Bordeaux, Antique Engraving after Thomas Allom, circa 1845
€ 190
Original antique · The actual sheet photographed · Certificate of authenticity on request · Sold unframed · Worldwide shipping from € 15 (rates)
Date
circa 1845
Mapmaker / artist
Thomas Allom (artist), J. Carter (engraver)
Publisher
Not named on the sheet
Technique
Steel engraving
Coloring
Uncolored
Condition
Good
Reference
BG-13194-131
What the condition grades mean
Excellent
Bright and clean, with no faults worth mentioning.
Very good
Only light signs of age, such as faint toning.
Good
Normal signs of age for a sheet of this period: toning, some foxing, small marks or neat old repairs.
Fair
Clear faults such as staining, tears or repairs, priced to match.
Every fault we see is written in the condition note, and the whole sheet is shown uncropped in the photos.
Condition
Light wear to the top right corner. Age toning, darker at the edges; handling soiling along the edges and scattered foxing in the margins. Printed image clean.
About this sheet
The Porte du Caillou in Bordeaux, the late Gothic gate tower better known today as the Porte Cailhau, is shown from the street side in this upright view. Its rounded body, ringed with a carved parapet, carries a steep slate roof with pointed turrets, dormer windows and a small open belfry at the top. A broad arch at its base opens onto a sunlit street beyond, where a covered wagon is passing through.
The square in front of the gate is crowded with a market. At left, a man stands on a stall, arms raised, addressing a gathered crowd; women sit with baskets of produce, and children watch. On the right, market women in white caps and shawls sit at a table under a sloping awning beside a shop sign. Tall stone houses with many windows close the scene on both sides.
The lettering credits the drawing to Thomas Allom and the engraving to J. Carter, with the title Porte du Caillou, Rue du Palais, Bordeaux. No publisher's line appears on this impression; the same design is recorded among the French views Allom drew for Fisher's France Illustrated. The gate, built in the late fifteenth century, still stands near the Garonne quays.
It is a steel engraving with fine, varied line work, from the rough texture of the old stone to the folds of the market women's clothes.
The lively market scene makes it a good choice for a kitchen or dining room, or for anyone with a connection to Bordeaux, set in a warm wood frame.
This is an original antique print, not a modern reproduction. This item is sold unframed. Any framed or interior images are shown for presentation and inspiration only, unless the listing explicitly states that the item is sold framed.
