Gallery Edition – Lhtel des Haricots (prison de la Garde Nationale), quai Saint- Bernard. by Auguste-Sbastien Bnard – 69×44 Interior Architectural Study

Curatorial Narrative In 1829, Auguste-Sbastien Bnard’s “Lhtel des Haricots (prison de la Garde Nationale), quai Saint-Bernard” situated itself at the confluence of Romanticism and Realism, harnessing the expressive potential of loose brushwork to convey the rugged, weathered essence of the architectural subject. The earthy tones of brown, beige, and muted greens that comprise the palette imbue the composition with a sense of temporal wear, as if the very stones of the building have been eroded by the passage of time. This chromatic structure, redolent of the patina on aged stonework, underscores Bnard’s fascination with the interplay between light and shadow, casting long, sinuous shadows that accentuate the spatial rhythm of the quai.When enlarged to 69×44, the palette of “Lhtel des Haricots” assumes an almost monumental quality, its earthy tones enveloping the surrounding space like a worn, leathery skin. The loose brushwork, now