Lansyer's Loches

Emmanuel Lansyer 1835-1893 was considered the second best landscape painter of his generation (after Corot), but he is hardly a household name today. He began his career as an architect, working for Viollet-le-Duc. Later he studied painting under Courbet and then Harpignies. When he was 29 he switched careers to become a landscape painter, and by the end of his life was widely recognised as talented painter of some merit.

La Tour Saint Antoine from the terrace of the sous-préfecture (that is to say, from the terrace below the Agnès Sorel tower of the Logis Royal, which used to be the sub-prefectural office). I think you could just about get this view without having to step into fresh air, but I think you might have to lean to the right quite a lot, and the terrace is nowhere near as extensive as the painting shows.

The Tour Saint Antoine taken from the artist's garden ie from the other side of the citadel, but looking in the same direction.

His family home in Loches was gifted to the town and is run as a museum dedicated to his memory and works. The house and garden are charming, and very thoughtfully presented. The staff clearly love the place and are delighted when foreign tourists take the time to visit. The museum is free and the views from the garden spectacular as the house is on the citadel, right next to the medieval gateway (known as the Porte Royale) .

The Porte des Cordeliers with the Logis in the background, from Les Cordeliers.

A photo through a window in Le Moulin des Cordeliers (now holiday apartments) with the Porte des Cordeliers on the right.

I was going to post Simon's photos of some of Lansyer's works and then search out the modern view in our photo collection. However, I very soon realised that Lansyer adjusts the view to suit his composition. In most cases it would be impossible to stand where the artist purports to be doing so. Hence, I have chosen to show three of his works and three similar views taken by us in the last few years.

The Chateau of Chenonceau. I doubt if you could get this view even if you were on the river. It is supposedly from the river bank.

The Chateau of Chenonceau.

We liked his paintings a lot. They weren't the cutting edge of creativity, but they were extremely competant, and his architectural background is very evident and used effectively. Perhaps a bit much sienna brown in the palette for my taste, but you can say that about almost any landscape painter.