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ID #SA781269
FOR SALE
£440
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Day to Day Activity Around a Military Port: Large French Master Drawing Naval Base Arsenal of Toulon
Skippings Fine Arts
for sale €515     $559
£440
Skippings Fine Arts

Skippings Fine Arts

Sellingantiques Verified Since Feb 2018
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    Modern french & continental pictures selected by a former french auction house expert
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Day to Day Activity Around a Military Port: Large French Master Drawing Naval Base Arsenal of Toulon

1920 - 1940
Description

This stunning harbour scene work dates from the modern period - most likely from the 1930s, although it could be a little older - and yet it has the spontaneous, skilful elegance that one usually only sees in old master drawings. In a balanced, well proportioned composition, and with a backdrop of impressive battle ships and cranes, there is life: sailors, hawkers, street vendors, workers, children, passers by. The bustle is fascinating, and the artist takes you right there.

A little historical context: to avoid capture by the Germans, the French fleet based at Toulon scuttled itself on 27 November 1942 on the orders of the French admiralty. The French destroyed 77 of their vessels, including 3 battleships, 7 cruisers, 15 destroyers, 13 torpedo boats, 6 sloops, 12 submarines, 9 patrol boats, 19 auxiliary ships, 1 school ship, 28 tugs, and 4 cranes. Our drawing was clearly executed before this event.

The statue you'll notice in the in the centre of the drawing is a 5 metre high marble work by Louis Joseph Daumas dating from 1847. It has the particularity that it is sea-facing, and hence has its bottom directed towards the town hall. While there was a naval admiral named Cuverville, I don't think the sculptor depicted him here, naked. Nonetheless, the sculpture is nicknamed Cul-vers-ville (ie bottom towards town), a nice little French pun.

With the drawing measuring 25 x 46 cm at sight, the overall size in an elegant frame is 45 x 65 cm.

Physical Dimensions
Height
25cm (9.84")
Width
46cm (18.11")
Depth
1cm (0.39")
Declaration

Skippings Fine Arts has dated this French Master Ink Drawing to the 1930s.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA781269
Dealers Notes

Nous parlons français, und wir sprechen auch Deutsch! Paintings may be viewed in Norwich and in Paris, as well as in London and Cambridge by appointment. Please contact us if you would like further details and images of an artwork.

Description
This stunning harbour scene work dates from the modern period - most likely from the 1930s, although it could be a little older - and yet it has the spontaneous, skilful elegance that one usually only sees in old master drawings.
“
In a balanced, well proportioned composition, and with a backdrop of impressive battle ships and cranes, there is life: sailors, hawkers, street vendors, workers, children, passers by.
Skippings Fine Arts

The bustle is fascinating, and the artist takes you right there.

fig 1. A monochrome ink drawing depicting a busy naval port with warships, a central monument statue, harbour workers, and cranes along the waterfront.
fig 1. Day to Day Activity Around a Military Port: Large French Master Drawing Naval Base Arsenal of Toulon

A little historical context: to avoid capture by the Germans, the French fleet based at Toulon scuttled itself on 27 November 1942 on the orders of the French admiralty. The French destroyed 77 of their vessels, including 3 battleships, 7 cruisers, 15 destroyers, 13 torpedo boats, 6 sloops, 12 submarines, 9 patrol boats, 19 auxiliary ships, 1 school ship, 28 tugs, and 4 cranes. Our drawing was clearly executed before this event.

fig 2. A monochrome ink drawing depicting a busy naval port with warships, a central monument statue, harbour workers, and cranes along the waterfront.
fig 2. Day to Day Activity Around a Military Port: Large French Master Drawing Naval Base Arsenal of Toulon

The statue you'll notice in the in the centre of the drawing is a 5 metre high marble work by Louis Joseph Daumas dating from 1847. It has the particularity that it is sea-facing, and hence has its bottom directed towards the town hall. While there was a naval admiral named Cuverville, I don't think the sculptor depicted him here, naked. Nonetheless, the sculpture is nicknamed Cul-vers-ville (ie bottom towards town), a nice little French pun.

With the drawing measuring 25 x 46 cm at sight, the overall size in an elegant frame is 45 x 65 cm.

Height
25cm (9.84")
Width
46cm (18.11")
Depth
1cm (0.39")
Date of Manufacture

Skippings Fine Arts has dated this French Master Ink Drawing to the 1930s.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA781269
Skippings Fine Arts
Skippings Fine Arts
Sellingantiques verified Since Feb 2018

Modern french & continental pictures selected by a former french auction house expert

Dealer Profile

You can view the stock and full dealer information on the Skippings Fine Arts Profile Page

Relevant Links
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A monochrome ink drawing depicting a busy naval port with warships, a central monument statue, harbour workers, and cranes along the waterfront.
1 / 4
Archive I A monochrome ink drawing depicting a busy naval port with warships, a central monument statue, harbour workers, and cranes along the waterfront.

Day to day activity around a military port: large French master drawing naval base arsenal of Toulon

Archive II A monochrome ink drawing depicting a busy naval port with warships, a central monument statue, harbour workers, and cranes along the waterfront. View II
Archive III A monochrome ink drawing depicting a busy naval port with warships, a central monument statue, harbour workers, and cranes along the waterfront. View III
Archive IV A monochrome ink drawing depicting a busy naval port with warships, a central monument statue, harbour workers, and cranes along the waterfront. View IV
Enlarged Archival View
Skippings Fine Arts

Skippings Fine Arts
Telephone 0747 257 2398
Location
Norfolk
United Kingdom

By appointment
Dealer Profile Page sellingantiques.co.uk/skippingsfinearts
Verified Since Feb 2018
Items For Sale 170
Items Sold 682
Skippings Fine Arts
Skippings Fine Arts
Verified Since Feb 2018
View Dealer Info
Location: Norfolk, United Kingdom, , By appointment
Profile: sellingantiques.co.uk/skippingsfinearts
Verified
Feb 2018
For Sale
170
Sold
682
A monochrome ink drawing depicting a busy naval port with warships, a central monument statue, harbour workers, and cranes along the waterfront.
Day to day activity around a military port: large French master drawing naval base arsenal of Toulon
Ref: SA781269
A monochrome ink drawing depicting a busy naval port with warships, a central monument statue, harbour workers, and cranes along the waterfront.
Detail View 2
Detail View 3
Detail View 5
Archival Detail

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FAQs

These works typically capture industrial and naval landscapes with fluid line work, rapid cross-hatching, and dramatic perspective, recording historical coastal infrastructure and daily harbour life.

Artists primarily utilised indian ink, iron gall ink, or graphite on handmade cotton rag paper or heavy cartridge paper, executed using dip pens or fine brushes.

Authentic works show age-appropriate paper tonal changes, natural foxing, micro-feathering of ink along paper fibres, and distinct hand-drawn linework rather than dot-matrix printing patterns under magnification.

Frame the drawing with an archival museum mount and a minimalist wooden frame to hang above a sideboard, in a study, or within a curated gallery wall.

Display paper artworks away from direct sunlight, maintaining a stable relative humidity, and ensure framing uses UV-protective glass and acid-free mounting materials.
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