Veuë du Chasteau du Peray - Albert Flamen

A detailed seventeenth-century etching by Albert Flamen depicting the Château du Peray, featuring pastoral life and rural architecture.

This etching, titled 'Veuë du Chasteau du Peray, appartenant a Monsieur Tronson, du costé de Fresne proche Corbeil', is a work by the Dutch artist Albert Flamen. Flamen, who spent much of his career in France, is recognised for his precise draughtsmanship and his focus on rural subjects. The print depicts the Château du Peray, a residence situated near Corbeil, as it appeared in the mid-seventeenth century.

The composition follows the conventions of topographical printmaking from the period. In the foreground, a pastoral scene unfolds with figures tending to livestock, including cattle and goats, which adds a sense of daily life to the architectural study. The middle ground features the chateau itself, enclosed by walls and flanked by a prominent circular tower. The background is defined by trees and a church spire, providing a sense of scale and location.

Flamen employs a variety of hatching techniques to create texture and depth. The sky is rendered with light, horizontal lines, while the foliage and stone structures are built up with denser, cross-hatched marks. This approach allows for a clear distinction between the organic forms of the trees and the rigid geometry of the building. The work is typical of the period's interest in documenting private estates and the surrounding countryside. It provides a window into the rural architecture of the Île-de-France region during the reign of Louis XIV. The inclusion of the owner's name, Monsieur Tronson, within the title reflects the common practice of identifying properties for the benefit of contemporary viewers and collectors of topographical views.