Victor HugoFrench, 1802–1885Landscape with a Castle
Can I see it?
Not on view at present
Where is “Landscape with a Castle” now? Collection: J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles. Not on view at present. Checked October 7, 2026.
Los Angeles, United States
It belongs to the collection, but is not on display at present.
- Checked
- In this state since
- Source
- The museum
About the work
This sheet depicts a landscape with a castle perched on a rocky outcropping that is rich in its layered technique and ambiguous in its meaning. Made on the British Channel Island of Guernsey, as inscribed on the lower right of the sheet, the drawing was executed during the artist’s exile from France. Hugo used charcoal to create a smoky black atmosphere, pen and ink and wash to define the castle’s outlines, white gouache to accentuate the highlights, and a stencil to make the church and the other silhouetted buildings. As was typical for the drawings he made in exile, Hugo submerged himself in the study of the natural and supernatural to create a fantastical scene with dramatic chiaroscuro effects. The dark sky that washes over the scene creates a haunting image that exemplifies Hugo’s Romantic poetic vision.
J. Paul Getty Museum
Details
- Accession number
- 2022.61
In the catalog
Sources
- J. Paul Getty Museum
- Image: J. Paul Getty Museum — Open Content
