“rue de Monttessuy”

“rue de Monttessuy”,
by Robert Leedy, 2003,
watercolor on paper,
Collection of Dr. & Mrs. José Martínez-Salas, Winter Haven, Florida

I used to pass this scene every morning. Rue de Monttessuy is in Paris’ 7th Arrondissement and just around the corner from our apartment on rue de l’Université. As you crossed the street, la Tour de Eiffel would pop out in view and take your breath away. I think this is especially true for visitors and you could easily distinguish them as they were the ones who stopped dead in their tracks to stare up in awe and maybe take a picture or two with the wife & kids in the foreground. The view always caught me as well and each time I thought: Wow! This is a painting waiting to happen! And happen, it finally did.

As I look at this image, I remember the thing that struck me most was not the Eiffel Tower but the warm, reflected light between the balcony and the canvas awnings of the flower shop on the corner. The orange glow from it and the turn-of-the-century Parisian architecture complements the cool blues throughout the painting. Your eye ends up somewhere around the intersection of the awning, the edge of the balcony, the traffic light, the do-not-enter sign, and the Eiffel Tower. The red of the do-not-enter sign complements the greens of the painting and makes for a strong, bold mark; I suddenly realize this graphic reappears in “View of Notre Dame from Ile Saint Louis”.

I can almost feel the cool, morning air of that summer day and the wonderful smell of fresh flowers being placed out on the sidewalk. This painting really takes me back to my little neighborhood…

Limited edition, signed giclée prints of “rue de Monttessuy”, by Robert Leedy, are available for purchase.

Purchase this print.