Château de Mauvesin, près Bagnères de Bigorre 

Maxime Lalanne created this print of Château de Mauvesin using lithography, a process that allows for detailed replication of light and shadow. The composition is dominated by the crumbling form of the Château, rendered with meticulous lines that capture its rough texture. The structure’s fragmented silhouette against the soft gradation of the sky evokes a sense of romantic decay. Lalanne uses perspective to draw our eye along the winding path, framed by craggy rocks and sparse vegetation. This path leads us towards the distant mountains, creating a layered depth. The print engages with the picturesque aesthetic, popular in the 19th century, which found beauty in the imperfect and the transient. It invites reflection on themes of time, history and the sublime power of nature. The use of light and shadow doesn’t merely depict a scene. It also imbues the Château with a symbolic weight, questioning fixed notions of permanence.