Vue de Marlotte 1848

Emile Aubert Lessore made this ink drawing, Vue de Marlotte, sometime in the mid-19th century. Lessore, who came from a family of artists and artisans, was working during a period of significant social change in France. Rural settings like Marlotte became popular subjects as industrialization pushed people into cities and changed the perception of the countryside. The drawing shows a rustic building, possibly a barn or farmhouse, with a thatched roof and simple construction. It is rendered in monochromatic brown ink which gives the scene a warm, nostalgic feeling. Lessore’s choice of subject, and his soft rendering of it, evoke the idealization of rural life that was common among artists and writers of his time. However, his work also presents a vision of labor and simple living that was very real for many people. Consider how the setting—the building, the surrounding landscape—conveys a sense of place and identity. Lessore captures an intimate, personal glimpse into a world that was simultaneously familiar and fading.