Nice – after Alfred Guesdon, 1849

NICE LA BELLE

“Nice. Vue prise audessus de Montalban” Lithograph made by Jules Arnout after the drawing by Alfred Guesdon, published in 1849 by A. Hauser and printed by Lemercier in Paris as part of Hippolyte Etiennez’ “L’Italie à vol d’oiseau ou Histoire et description sommaires des principales villes de cette contrée, accompagnée de 40 grandes vues générales dessinées d’après nature”. Coloured by a later hand. Size (view): 29 x 43,5 cm.

Napoleon started his Italian campaign from Nice in 1796. In 1800 the region was briefly occupied by Austrian troops. However, after Napoleon’s victory at the Battle of Marengo, it was again placed under French rule. In 1814, after the defeat of Napoleon, the county of Nizza joined Piedmont, which in the meantime had become part of the Kingdom of Sardinia. This lithograph was therefore part of a series of views of Italy. (From 1860, Nice is definitively part of France again.)

Alfred Guesdon is known to make his designs for lithographs from a hot air balloon. Here we look out over the city from a point just above mont Alban with the fortress on the left. Along the coast from left to right we see the Old Port of Nice full of ships, the hill with the ruins of the Chateau de Nice and behind it the Old Town with the towers of the cathedral and the église Sainte Rita. The river Paillon, which runs through the city on this town view, has been covered from 1868 onwards.

The city became popular in the 19th century as a holiday destination for the European nobility. Also Queen Victoria very much enjoyed staying here.

Price: Euro 875,-