Pierre Jérôme Honoré DAUMET
 (Paris, 1826 – Paris, 1911)

 Interior view of the Basilica of Saint Anthony of Padua

 Watercolor
 Signed and dated “1855” lower right and located in “Padua” lower left
 Sending at the bottom right on the montage “To Monsieur Guifard, affectionate memories”
 28 x 22.5 cm at sight

 A student at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts, DAUMET was awarded the Grand Prix de Rome for architecture in 1855. In 1861, at the request of Napoleon III, he carried out a mission to the Orient, which owed its fame to the quality of its drawings. He also won the Royal Gold Medal of the Royal Institute of British Architects in 1908.

 He became a member of the Institute.

 The Duke of Aumale chose DAUMET as architect to rebuild the Château de Chantilly from 1875. It was on this occasion that he collaborated with the decorative painter Dominique Henri GUIFARD for whom he intended this watercolor painted in Padua and which illustrates the friendly ties they maintained.

 Our watercolor represents the San Giacomo chapel painted in particular by Altichiero around 1370 and was produced in 1855 probably during DAUMET's visit to the Villa Medici following his winning of the Prix de Rome for architecture that same year.