This print shows the church of Sainte Croix Notre Dame by Samuel Chamberlain. It is a reproduction of an original work created in the 1930s, and was given as a Christmas gift by Mr. and Mrs. Edward H. Blywise, according to the attached card. The print is a Talio-Crome, printed in the United States by Brown & Bigelow (logo is incorporated in the Talio-Crome). Artist signed as part of the print, in the talio-chrome plate. The print measures 7 1/2" x 11 1/2" (live area), with the border, it measures 12" x 16". Image area is in excellent condition. There is light wrinkling in the top right corner that could be hidden by a mat or pressed flat before framing under glass.
Samuel Chamberlain was one of America's finest twentieth century architectural artists. He studied architecture at the University of Washington (1913) and at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1914). When the United States entered the First World War, Chamberlain left M.I.T. to join the American Field Service Ambulance Corps in France. He stayed in Europe to sketch and study after the end of the war in 1918. He returned to the United States frequently, but much of Samuel Chamberlain's time during the following two decades was spent in the countries where he drew his strongest inspiration: France, Spain and Italy. His first lithograph was created in 1923 and in the following year he produced his first of many fine drypoint engravings and etchings. It was during this time that he created the etching that served as the original for this print.
This is a beautiful piece of architecture, with dramatic lighting, skillfully rendered by this accomplished artist. Chamberlains's work comes up occasionally at auction and reproductions such as this can be purchased at fine art dealers, but I have never seen this particular piece before.
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