LEBRETON, Louis – TURGIS, M. V. – MALTE vue prise de la Mer. – 1859

Description

LEBRETON, Louis (1818 – 1866) – TURGIS, M. V.

Title of Map: MALTE / vue prise de la Mer. – MALTA / Vista tomada del Mar.

Dist./ Features: From 1814 (until 1964) Malta was an important part of the British Empire, a strategic stronghold in the region and a stepping stone for Britain’s expansion to the East. It was turned into the main base for the Royal Navy’s Mediterranean Fleet, and allowed the entire fleet to be safely moored there. On this lively view British merchant ships lie amidst local boats transporting goods to and from the Maltese islands. The British have steam powered sailing vessels, screw-propelled, that had come into use in the 1840s. The industrial revolution has created smoky, dangerous transitional boats that ultimately became all steam and built of steel.

Lithographer: Louis Le Breton, born 15 January 1818 Douarnenez, Brittany, France – died 30 August 1866 Paris.

Title: Ports de mer d’Europe

Publisher: M. V. Turgis

Place: Paris Year: 1859

Plate size: 383 x 477 mm (including literature)

Engraving size: 312 x 477 mm

Verso: blank

Printing method: lithography

Notes: picture surrounded by a border line 1 cm

Description: Lebreton – Benesit (1976) vI.511, probably LEBRETON (LOUIS),p. de marines et aquareliste a Paris, m. en 1866. exposa au salon de 1841 a 1849. On cite de lui : entrée de la corvette l’Asholabe dans les glaces en 1840. Cfr. Sabatier, leon J. B. (c 1800-1887 ) who published Port de mer d’europe. Paris L. Turgis. Beautiful prints of the series of Ports de mer d’Europe drawn and lithographed by Louis Le Breton, set the port of Valletta, hosted many boats and two ships flying the British flag. The British had formally annexed the island of Malta in 1816. Painter, engraver and lithographer, especially naval, Louis Le Breton was one of the most prolific artists of his time and the witness of all the navies of the XIX century. Louis Le Breton (1818 Douarnenez – 1866) was a French painter who specialised in marine paintings. Le Breton studied medicine as his father was a doctor, so in 1836 he studied internal medicine at the School of Naval Brest. At 19 he embarked as assistant surgeon on the Astrolabe in the expedition of Dumont d’Urville (three-year journey to the Pole Oceania and South), there made his first sketches as an amateur, but following the death of Mr. Goupil designer of the expedition he will turn into scientific illustrator, return of ships at Toulon in 1840. From 1847 he devoted himself exclusively to depicting marine subjects for the French Navy. Louis LeBreton was a surgeon in the French Navy from 1836-1848. During that period he made several very long expeditions including Dumont d’Urville’s second circumnavigation (1837-1840) aboard the Astrolabe. In 1843 he worked with Dumont d ‘Urville to the filing of maps and plans in Paris , to also deal with the publication of the trip. (Voyage to the South Pole and Oceania on the corvettes Astrolabe and Zealous.) embarks on 1844/1845.Il The Cradle (corvette Boubon stationary ) and the Oise as surgeon 3em class. In 1847 returned to France, resignation of naval surgeon, and as a draftsman nommination maintained, the service plans and maps of the sea. Living in Paris he will often make in the ports above Havre, but Lorient, Brest, Toulon, Bordeaux etc … and draw many types of vessels, even small ships! boats and coastal fishing, it will represent in Havre all long-haul (he returns to often in order to draw the Douarnenez sardine fishing). It will also represent the great Imperial Navy, frigates, corvettes, sloops, the beginnings of the breastplate and steam. .. end of the great vessels, appearance of steam, water wheels, the propeller. – His lithographs have historical value, this artist vessels often have great cottage! It is a time of great innovations end propulsion only veil, appearance of the wheel of the helix. … etc. And it can be shown to the world and the illustration in the chronicles.