Then and Now: Art On Location
October 12, 2017
This week, as McMaster University students and faculty are travelling during their Fall Break week, we thought we’d have a little fun and explore the world through the eyes of artists whose paintings are now on view in the Levy Collection exhibition, A Cultivating Journey. In addition to discovering interesting details about a number of sites and cities, it was interesting to see how the artists interpreted the view before them, how little many of these beautiful places seem to have have changed over time…and we’ve added to our list of vacation destinations! Here are some of the highlights:
Church in Domrémy
The church of Saint-Rémy is the place where Joan of Arc was baptized.
![LEFT: Maurice Utrillo (French, 1883-1955), Church in Domrémy (Vosges) c. 1923, Oil on canvas, Gift of Herman H. Levy RIGHT: church of Saint-Rémy by OT ouest Vosges (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons](http://isk-wordpress.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/mma_dev/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Domremy.jpg "LEFT: Maurice Utrillo (French, 1883-1955), Church in Domrémy (Vosges) c. 1923, Oil on canvas, Gift of Herman H. Levy RIGHT: church of Saint-Rémy by OT ouest Vosges (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons")
St. Jacques, Dieppe
In 1168 a church was built along the pilgrimage route to Compostella. That church burnt down. In 1283 construction began on the Gothic church of St. Jacques that we see today. It took 4 centuries to complete.
![LEFT: Walter Richard Sickert (English, 1860-1942), Façade of St. Jacques, Dieppe c. 1902, Oil on canvas, Gift of Herman H. Levy. RIGHT: L’Eglise de St. Jacques, Dieppe. Photograph by PMRMaeyaert (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons](http://isk-wordpress.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/mma_dev/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Dieppe.jpg)
Gerberoy
Often described as one of the most beautiful villages in France, Gerberoy is as picturesque today as it seemed to be in Le Sidaner’s paintings. Wander through Gerberoy on Google Maps and you’ll see what we mean. The artist’s house still stands and his gardens are a tourist attraction.
![LEFT: Henry Le Sidaner (French, 1862-1939), The House in the Morning, Gerberoy, 1929, Oil on canvas, Gift of Herman H. Levy. RIGHT: By PIERRE ANDRE LECLERCQ (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 4.0-3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0-3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0)], via Wikimedia Commons](http://isk-wordpress.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/mma_dev/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Gerberoy.jpg "LEFT: Henry Le Sidaner (French, 1862-1939), The House in the Morning, Gerberoy, 1929, Oil on canvas, Gift of Herman H. Levy. RIGHT: By PIERRE ANDRE LECLERCQ (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 4.0-3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0-3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0)], via Wikimedia Commons")
Ornans
The town of Ornans is nicknamed the little Venice of France-Comté. The picturesque town is also the site of the Courbet Museum which is in the house where the artist was born. In addition to the beautiful views and culture, visitors today can kayak on the River Loue.
Waterloo Bridge, London
This location changed a lot, but had an interesting story.
The first Waterloo Bridge designed by John Rennie in 1809-10, and later painted by Monet, was demolished in the 1930s. The nine-arch Waterloo Bridge was designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott and Sir built during WWII. It was nicknamed “The Ladies Bridge” as the workforce at the time was largely women. Watch an extract from a documentary about it below.
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