Bentley, Alfred (1879-1923), The Saint-Bénézet Bridge in Avignon
Alfred Bentley(1879-1923), Pont Saint-Bénézet in Avignon , etching, 22 x 31 cm (image), 38.5 x 46.5 cm (frame), signed in pencil at lower right "Alfred Bentley", framed in mount under glass.
- very well preserved and beautifully framed
- The monumentality of decay -
The shepherd boy Bénézet heard a heavenly voice telling him to build a bridge over the Rhone. After being ridiculed for his project, he lifted a huge stone with superhuman strength and laid it as the foundation stone, whereupon the bridge was built.
Built in the 12th century, the structure consisted of 22 arches and, with a span of 915 meters, was the longest bridge in Europe. It has been in ruins since 1660 and, along with the Palais des Papes, is the landmark of Avignon.
Alfred Bentley stages the ruined bridge in the tradition of Giovanni Battista Piranesi. He depicts the arches in a view from below, monumentalizing the structure. The darkening of the arches also contributes to this effect. It creates a black and white contrast with the sky, making the bridge appear even more massive. The use of the pictorial staff also follows Piranesi. The figures are small, almost inconspicuous, making the architecture stand out even more. In contrast to the dark arches, the chapel toward which the figure on the bridge is moving is brightly lit by sunlight, giving the structure a drama of its own. Masterfully and going beyond Piranesi, the water reflections are depicted in the technique of etching. The schemes of the monumental bridge are recognizable and yet dissolve in the movement of the water.
About the artist
Alfred Bentley was active in London and exhibited at the Royal Academy from 1908-1923. From 1913 he was a member of the Royal Society of Painters-Etchers and Engravers.
"[Bentley] engraved with a special feeling for light-dark contrasts and simple tonal gradations."
- Kristiane Frank
Selected Bibliography
Saur. Allgemeines Künstlerlexikon, Band 9, München - Leipzig, 1994, S. 167.