Object of the Day: “La Charité-sur-Loire” by Leon Veril

I found this ink and watercolor drawing amongst a lot of old framed junk in a North Texas antique shop. I immediately recognized that the work was original and that it didn’t belong with the random stack of items with which it had been lumped. Very quietly, I paid for my purchase and brought it home for examination.

What I discovered was a lovely, hand-colored drawing—dating to the early Nineteen Century— which had been signed by the artist, Leon Veril. Beneath the drawing, the artist has written, “La Charité S/Loire.” Indeed, this is a very skilled representation of La Charité-sur-Loire—moodily set against a sapphire-toned night sky. La Charité-sur-Loire is a “secret city”—a commune in the Nièvre department in central France which began as a Benedictine monastic community on an island in the Loire. The town was destroyed by a fire in 1559. Once rebuilt, it was later a fortified Huguenot stronghold during the religious wars of France. After the French Revolution, the town was sold to private investors and it was preserved against demolition in 1870. Today, the town still stands as a historical ruin which can be visited by the public and even rented for events.

This drawing is an interesting bit of history and remains as a souvenir of a little-known part of the world. I enjoy looking at it and knowing that it is a reminder of enduring grace.

The site today
Image by Benutzer:Carroy