Woman by the Sea with the Madonna, Pointing to a Ship

Art Historical Context

In the mid-19th century, artists like Célestin Nante (1813–1873), a skilled lithographer known for his delicate landscapes and figurative scenes, captured the poetic interplay of human emotion and nature. This lithograph, *Woman by the Sea with the Madonna, Pointing to Ship* (ca. 1848–62), printed in Paris by Bertauts and P. Cadet, evokes a moment of quiet drama along the shoreline. A woman stands with the protective figure of the Madonna, her gesture directing attention to a distant ship—perhaps symbolizing departure, longing, or divine safeguarding during an era of maritime exploration and personal voyages. Lithography, the medium here, revolutionized printmaking in the 19th century by allowing artists to draw directly on stone for nuanced tones and textures, making intricate compositions affordable and widely accessible. Nanteuil's technique shines in the subtle gradations of sea and sky, blending Romantic sentiment with emerging Realism. Measuring 14 1/16 × 10 11/16 inches, this sheet from The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Elisha Whittelsey Collection offers a window into French visual culture amid the turbulent 1848 Revolution and Napoleon III's Second Empire, where themes of faith and farewell resonated deeply.

About the Artist

Bertauts, P. Cadet, Paris|Célestin Nanteuil (French|French) · |1813 – |1873

|French (born Italy), Rome 1813–1873 Bourron-Marlotte