Porte du Caillou, Bordeaux, Antique Engraving after Thomas Allom, circa 1845

The Porte du Caillou in Bordeaux, the late Gothic gate tower better known today as the Porte Cailhau, is shown from the street side in this upright view. Its rounded body, ringed with a carved parapet, carries a steep slate roof with pointed turrets, dormer windows and a small open belfry at the top. A broad arch at its base opens onto a sunlit street beyond, where a covered wagon is passing through.

The square in front of the gate is crowded with a market. At left, a man stands on a stall, arms raised, addressing a gathered crowd; women sit with baskets of produce, and children watch. On the right, market women in white caps and shawls sit at a table under a sloping awning beside a shop sign. Tall stone houses with many windows close the scene on both sides.

The lettering credits the drawing to Thomas Allom and the engraving to J. Carter, with the title Porte du Caillou, Rue du Palais, Bordeaux. No publisher's line appears on this impression; the same design is recorded among the French views Allom drew for Fisher's France Illustrated. The gate, built in the late fifteenth century, still stands near the Garonne quays.

It is a steel engraving with fine, varied line work, from the rough texture of the old stone to the folds of the market women's clothes.

The lively market scene makes it a good choice for a kitchen or dining room, or for anyone with a connection to Bordeaux, set in a warm wood frame.

This is an original antique print, not a modern reproduction. This item is sold unframed.