Le Vieux Rouen, Rue Haranguerie et St Vincent 1913

Fernand Combes made this drawing, Le Vieux Rouen, Rue Haranguerie et St Vincent, using pencil and pastel on paper. These are traditional art materials, of course, but the image itself is of a very particular place: a street in Rouen. Note how Combes uses line and shading to evoke the texture and age of the buildings. The pencil work is precise, capturing the architectural details, while the pastel adds a soft, almost dreamlike quality to the scene. The materials and processes used here lend a sense of nostalgia to the artwork. The drawing invites us to consider the ways in which our built environment shapes our lives and memories. Combes was likely interested in preserving a disappearing way of life, documenting the unique character of Rouen's historic architecture. The amount of work involved in this production process is a testament to the artist's dedication to preserving cultural memory.