Cornelis Springer artwork • painting • for sale A view of the water pump with statue of Jeanne d'Arc at the Place de la Pucelle, Rouen

Cornelis Springer, born into a family of architects and contractors, developed an eye for the beauty of architecture at an early age. At seventeen, he apprenticed with Kaspar Karsen, one of the most famous cityscape painters of his time. In 1837, Karsen took his student on a study trip through Germany, Vienna, and Prague. Cornelis returned enthusiastically with sketchbooks full of cathedrals, church squares, and sculptures. In this early period, he already painted the outstanding cityscapes for which he would become famous: meticulously executed and with attention to materials, proportions, and architectural details. These were usually combinations of existing elements and imaginary architecture, in contrast to the meticulous cityscapes of later years. Between 1841 and 1844, he traveled again, this time also to Belgium and France. Based on impressions gained there, he must have painted this View of the Fountain and Statue of Joan of Arc in Rouen. Joan of Arc was sentenced to the stake in Rouen in 1431 at the age of 19, and later found innocent and canonized in 1920. It was a true tourist attraction at the time, discussed and depicted in Abel Hugo's 1835 publication, 'France pittoresque et monumentale (...),' which also circulated widely in the Netherlands. Cornelis Springer, born into a family of architects and contractors, developed an eye for the beauty of architecture at a young age. At seventeen, he apprenticed with Kaspar Karsen, one of the most famous cityscape painters of his time. In 1837, Karsen took his student on a study trip through Germany, Vienna, and Prague. Cornelis returned enthusiastically with sketchbooks full of cathedrals, church squares, and sculptures. In this early period, he already painted the exquisite cityscapes for which he would become famous: meticulously rendered and with attention to materials, proportions, and architectural details. They are usually combinations of existing elements and imaginary architecture, in contrast to the precise city portraits of later years. Between 1841 and 1844, he traveled again, this time also to Belgium and France. Based on impressions gained there, he must have painted this View of the Fountain and Statue of Joan of Arc in Rouen. Joan of Arc was sentenced to the stake in Rouen in 1431 as a 19-year-old and later found innocent and canonized in 1920. It was a real attraction at the time, discussed and depicted in Abel Hugo's 1835 publication, 'France pittoresque et monumentale (…)' which also circulated widely in the Netherlands.