L’église Saint Nicolas du Chardonnet
1926
Swedish architect Ferdinand Boberg scribbled this lively sketch during a 1926 trip to Paris, focusing not just on the grand Church of Saint-Nicolas-du-Chardonnet, but on the quirky, leaning buildings huddled right next to it. The tall stone tower looms on the left, while the smaller houses in the center seem to tilt precariously, supported by wooden beams that look like they're holding the whole structure together. Boberg used dark charcoal for the heavy shadows and added touches of blue and yellow chalk to bring the sky and windows to life. It feels less like a formal architectural study and more like a quick, atmospheric snapshot of a rainy Parisian day.
- Technique
- Charcoal and chalk on paper
- Material
- Paper