Vézelay Abbey — Thiere

A grand hand-coloured lithograph of the Romanesque basilica of Vézelay, a touchstone of medieval French pilgrimage architecture.

Original title: Abbaye de Vézelay. Drawn by Thiere; engraved by Perrier and Perdone. From Voyage Pittoresque de la France. Paris, c. 1789.

Jean-Benjamin de La Borde's monumental Voyage Pittoresque de la France (1781–1796) surveyed the kingdom's most picturesque sites across twelve folio volumes, blending topographical accuracy with antiquarian sentiment. The Basilica of Sainte-Marie-Madeleine at Vézelay, a major stop on the medieval pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela, exemplifies the Burgundian Romanesque tradition celebrated in the series.

Hand-coloured lithograph. Sheet approximately 54.6 × 39.5 cm. Very Good condition with light age toning.