Crypt of Saint Gervaise, Rouen, Normandy c. 1817

John Sell Cotman made this monochrome wash drawing of the Crypt of Saint Gervaise in Rouen, Normandy, sometime in the early nineteenth century. Cotman was part of a generation of British artists who turned to the continent in search of new subjects, and new markets for their work. This image, like many architectural studies of the period, suggests a fascination with medieval history, and the gothic style in particular, fueled by a romantic sensibility. This aesthetic movement looked to the past for a sense of authenticity and spiritual depth. The Church, of course, was a powerful institution, and its buildings were a repository of cultural memory. To understand Cotman's image, one might turn to historical archives, architectural surveys, and travel accounts. The work of art gives us a subjective interpretation of a place, but it is always conditioned by social and institutional structures.