Port of Dieppe
€1,000.00
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Title: Vue du Port de Dieppe
After Joseph Vernet (1714–1789)
Engraved by: Charles-Nicolas Cochin (1715–1790) and Jacques-Philippe Le Bas (1707–1783)
Published: 18th century
Medium: Engraving on paper
Dimensions: 48 x 74 cm
Condition: Very good
This elegant engraving of the Port of Dieppe is based on an original painting by Joseph Vernet, commissioned as part of his celebrated royal series ‘ Les Ports de France’ (1753–1765). A vivid portrayal of the bustling Normandy port, the scene captures the intersection of daily life, commerce, and maritime activity under a vast and expressive sky. Merchants, townspeople, and fishermen animate the quay, while sailing ships gently rock in the harbor, and the historic fortifications of Dieppe rise on the right-hand side, anchoring the composition.
Engraved with remarkable precision by Charles-Nicolas Cochin and Jacques-Philippe Le Bas, this work embodies the Enlightenment ideals of documentation, order, and beauty. Commissioned under the direction of the Marquis de Marigny, Director General of the King’s Buildings, the series aimed to showcase the power and prosperity of France’s coastal cities.
A work of refined technical skill and historical importance, Vue du Port de Dieppe is both a valuable maritime document and a masterpiece of 18th-century French engraving.